UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

LIBRARY 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

DAVIS 

OOPY  lv 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 

COLLEGE   OF  AGRICULTURE  E-  J    Wickson,  director 

BERKELEY,   CALIFORNIA 


CIRCULAR   No.  67 

August,  1911 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  SECONDARY  SCHOOL 
AGRICULTURE  IN  CALIFORNIA 


By  E.  B.  BABCOCK,  C.  J.  BOOTH,  H.  LEE, 

AND 

F.  H.  BOLSTER 


WHAT   OUGHT   TO    BE   FOUND   IN   A    WELL-ORGANIZED 
AGRICULTURAL    COURSE.* 

There  are  certain  things  of  a  general  nature  which  ought  to  be  found  in 
classes  in  agriculture  as  well  as  in  other  lines  of  high  school  work.  The  more 
important  of  these  are  as  follows: 

I.  A  teacher  who  is  master  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  agriculture  and 
in  complete  sympathy  with  the  work. 

II.  Pupils  interested,  attentive  and  alert;  quick  in  response  and  ready  with 
questions. 

III.  Material  evidences  of  well  planned,  everyday  work  such  as: 

1.  Note-books. 

2.  Collections  of  materials. 

3.  Special  apparatus. 

4.  Charts,  maps,  pictures. 

5.  Blackboard  outlines. 

6.  Reference  books  that  give  evidence  of  being  used. 

WHAT  OUGHT  NOT  TO  BE   FOUND  IN   AN   AGRICULTURAL   COURSE.* 
There  are  at  least  four  things  which  should  not  be  found  in  a  well-organized 
agricultural  course.     They  may  be  concisely  stated  as  follows: 

I.  Agriculture  taught  by  a  city  woman,  ignorant  of  farm  conditions  and 
farm  life. 

II.  Formal  and  perfunctory  work,  of  the  tl question  and  answer"  text-book 
style. 

III.  The  course  taken  only  by  students  who  have  partially  or  completely 
failed  in  all  of  their  other  work. 

IV.  The  course  overloaded  with  "specialized"  forms  of  agriculture  to  the 
exclusion  of  other  important  high  school  work. 


*  Quoted  from  Bulletin  of  the  University  of  Wisconsin  No.  441,  High  School 
Series,  No.  12,  "The  High  School  Course  in  Agriculture,"  by  K.  L.  Hatch, 
Associate  Professor  of  Agricultural  Education. 


» 


DEVELOPMENT    OF    SECONDARY    SCHOOL    AGRICULTURE 

IN   CALIFORNIA 

By  E.  B.  BABCOCK. 


The  whole  development  of  agricultural  education  in  its  primary 
and  secondary  school  phases  in  California  is  recent.  Eight  years  ago 
the  College  of  Agriculture  of  the  University  of  California  was  the  only 
institution  in  the  state  giving  regular  instruction  in  agriculture. 
Tcday  agricultural  education  exists  to  some  extent,  at  least,  in  six 
different  classes  of  schools  besides  the  State  University.  These  are 
the  normal  schools,  special  state  schools  (at  San  Luis  Obispo  and 
Davis),  the  public  high  schools,  the  public  elementary  schools,  the 
state  industrial  schools  and  private  schools  and  colleges. 

In  December,  1905,  Dr.  A.  C.  True,  Director  of  the  Office  of 
Experiment  Stations  of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 
spoke  in  Berkeley  on  "Why  the  Friends  of  Agricultural  Progress 
Believe  that  Agriculture  Should  and  Will  be  Taught  in  the  Public 
Schools. ' '  His  sound  arguments  and  the  vital  relation  which  he  indi- 
cated between  true  culture  and  the  vocational  studies  did  much  to 
encourage  the  introduction  of  such  studies  in  this  state.  This  address 
was  published  by  the  College  of  Agriculture  as  Circular  17  and  is  still 
available. 

The  legislature  of  1901  had  passed  the  act  for  the  California  Poly- 
technic School  at  San  Luis  Obispo  and  two  years  later  the  school 
came  into  being,  with  Dr.  Leroy  Anderson  in  charge.  This  was  the 
first  institution  outside  the  University  of  California  to  offer  instruc- 
tion in  agriculture.  Of  the  total  number  enrolled  (176)  somewhat 
over  one-third  are  in  the  agricultural  course. 

The  legislature  of  1905  made  the  first  appropriation  for  the  Uni- 
versity Farm  and  the  University  Farm  School  at  Davis.  This  was  a 
most  important  step  for  two  reasons.  (1)  The  institution  offers 
opportunity  for  stock,  dairy,  field,  and  horticultural  practice  for 
college  students  at  Berkeley.     They  are  allowed  to  spend  one  half- 


year  during  their  undergraduate  course  at  Davis.  (2)  It  provides 
an  especially  equipped  school  of  agriculture  for  boys  who  have  finished 
the  eighth  grade,  who  want  to  be  successful  farmers.  A  three-year 
practical  course  which  does  not  prepare  for  the  University  is  now 
offered. 

The  first  building  at  the  Farm,  the  dairy  building,  was  completed 
in  1908.  That  year  Dr.  Anderson  came  to  Berkeley  as  Professor  of 
Agricultural  Practice  and  Superintendent  of  University  Farm  Schools 
and  then  began  his  active  efforts  on  behalf  of  secondary  instruction 
in  agriculture  in  this  state.  His  experience  at  San  Luis  Obispo  and 
investigations  in  the  East  fitted  him  especially  for  this  work.  He 
has  built  up  an  excellent  school  at  Davis.  At  the  same  time  he  has 
done  much  to  encourage  the  introduction  of  agricultural  subjects  into 
California  high  schools. 

At  Dr.  Anderson's  request,  in  1909,  the  University  of  California 
added  dairying  and  horticulture  to  the  list  of  elective  matriculation 
subjects.  This  act  had  an  immediate  effect  of  encouragement  among 
high  school  people,  some  of  whom  were  already  considering  the  addi- 
tion of  such  studies  to  their  curriculum.  A  year  later  there  was  added 
another  subject,  general  agriculture,  to  this  list.  Whether  these  sub- 
jects are  made  use  of  or  not  by  the  progressive  high  schools  of  the 
future,  they  have  served  a  good  purpose  already,  as  stated,  and  will 
continue  to  encourage  the  smaller  high  schools. 

Simultaneously  with  the  provision  for  matriculation  credit  in  agri- 
cultural subjects,  Dr.  Anderson  and  the  writer  arranged  to  give  the 
first  courses  designed  especially  to  prepare  teachers  of  agriculture. 
These  have  been  expanded  until  now  the  College  of  Agriculture  offers 
seven  such  courses  and  employs  three  instructors  especially  for  this 
work. 

Self-directed  high  school  development  is  surely  much  in  evidence 
as  far  as  agriculture  is  concerned.  Indeed  we  find  agriculture  being 
handled  in  nearly  as  many  ways  as  there  are  high  schools  including 
it  in  their  course  of  study.  But  we  can  distinguish  three  types  or 
stages  of  development. 

(1)  The  One  Course  Type — usually  small  schools.  The  sciences, 
those  that  they  have,  are  taught  without  much  effort  to  apply  them 
to  agricultural  or  other  industries.  But  one  course,  sometimes 
required  in  the  ninth  grade,  sometimes  elective,  is  offered;  usually 
this  is  general  agriculture,  because  there  are  now  good  texts.  This 
is  good  as  far  as  it  goes  and  in  some  schools  home  projects  and  other 
extra  program  work  add  much  to  the  value  of  the  course.     The  Analy 


Union  High  School  at  Sebastopol  offers  a  good  illustration  of  such 
a  course. 

(2)  The  Applied  Science  Type.  Physical  geography,  general 
science,  botany,  etc.,  are  taught  with  the  direct  aim  to  impart  as  many 
of  the  fundamental  principles  of  agriculture  as  possible.  The  Oxnard 
High  School  is  a  good  example  of  this  type,  although  it  will  add 
special  courses  next  year.1 

(3)  The  Full  Course  Type.  A  complete  four-year  course  includ- 
ing one  agricultural  study  or  applied  science  each  half-year.  Such 
courses  are  now  offered  or  soon  will  be  in  the  Stockton,  Fresno  and 
Gardena  High  Schools. 

The  first  public  high  school  to  make  a  beginning  in  agricultural 
instruction  was  the  Gardena  High  School  of  Los  Angeles  City.  In 
1908  Mr.  F.  H.  Bolster  was  employed  at  this  school  to  give  instruc- 
tion in  general  science  and  botany  with  special  reference  to  agricul- 
ture.2 In  1909,  the  schools  at  Imperial,  Oxnard  and  Bakersfield 
employed  technically  trained  men  to  present  agricultural  subjects  in 
those  schools. 

During  1909  several  other  high  schools  were  making  experiments 
in  a  small  way.  Among  these  may  be  noted  the  schools  at  Vacaville, 
Glendale,  Hanford,  Tulare,  Ventura,  Santa  Cruz  and  others.  During 
1910  the  following  schools  placed  technically  trained  men  in  charge 
of  agricultural  courses  in  their  high  schools :  Stockton,  Fresno,  Escon- 
dido,  Hollywood,  Lordsburg,  Livermore,  and  Ferndale.  The  follow- 
ing schools  began  single  courses  in  general  agriculture  under  the 
direction  of  a  science  teacher:  Sebastopol,  Porterville,  Hanford, 
Salinas  and  Le  Grand. 

Following  is  a  brief  chronological  outline  which  summarizes  the 
development  of  high  school  agriculture  in  California. 

SUMMARY    OF   DEVELOPMENT    OF    HIGH    SCHOOL    AGRICULTURE 

IN  CALIFORNIA. 

1908.  Gardena — Botany  and  general  science  with  special  reference  to  agriculture. 

1909.  Gardena — 14- acre  farm  purchased  for  $14,000;   an  irrigation   system  in- 

stalled;   lath    house,    mushroom    house    and    greenhouse    constructed; 
glassware  and  apparatus  provided  for  laboratory  work. 
Imperial — School    garden    established;     botany    and     dairy    laboratories 
equipped. 


i  See  Report,  p.  29. 

2  "Agriculture  in  the  High  Schools,"  by  Leroy  Anderson,  Circular  47,  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station,  Berkeley,  p.  5. 


Oxnard — School  garden  established;  greenhouse  built;  laboratory  equipped. 

Bakersfield — Laboratories  equipped. 

Tulare  and  Hanford — General  courses  with  laboratory. 

1910.  Gardena — School  organized  as  Gardena  Agricultural  High  School;  enrol- 
ment 93.  Thirty-three  per  cent  of  pupils  enrolled  were  taking  agri- 
culture in  November,  1910. 

Imperial — Enrolment  80;  5  per  cent  of  pupils  were  enrolled  in  agriculture 
in  November,  1910. 

Oxnard — Enrolment  80.  Percentage  in  agriculture  33 — November,  1910. 
See  list  of  equipment  in  Appendix  A. 

Bakersfield — 27  acres  of  land  purchased  for  $16,000,  besides  cost  of  clear- 
ing, grading  and  planting  to  alfalfa  and  cereals.  (Dairy  herd  and 
dairy  to  be  installed).  Enrolment  307.  Seven  per  cent  in  agricul- 
ture in  November,  1910. 

Fresno — A  single  course  introduced  in  February.  In  September  courses  in 
general  agriculture  and  dairying  introduced.  Seven  per  cent  of 
pupils  enrolled  are  in  agriculture — November,  1910. 

Stockton — Courses  in  general  agriculture,  poultry  and  dairying.  Enrol- 
ment 530.     Nine  per  cent  taking  agriculture  in  November,  1910. 

Livermore — Courses  in  general  agriculture,  horticulture  and  dairying  in- 
troduced. Enrolment  110.  Twenty-one  per  cent  of  pupils  enrolled 
were  taking  agriculture  in  November,  1910. 

Ferndale — Courses  in  general  agriculture  and  dairying  introduced. 

Lordsburg — 10  acres  divided  into  orchard  and  field  crop  plots;  potting 
house,  lath  house,  greenhouse;  laboratory  equipment,  including  gaso- 
lene gas  plant. 

Hollywood — Course  in  horticulture  introduced.  Enrolment  450.  Two  and 
two-thirds  per  cent  in  horticulture  in  November,  1910. 

Escondido — Courses  in  general  agriculture  and  horticulture  introduced. 
Several  acres  of  land  on  site. 

The  following  schools  have  introduced  a  course  in  general  agriculture: 
Sebastopol,  Salinas,  Le  Grand,  Porterville,  Brawley,  Ceres,  Los 
Angeles  Polytechnic,  Petaluma. 

The  following  schools  have  attempted  to  correlate  science  studies  with 
agriculture :  Santa  Cruz,  Ventura,  Colusa,  Huntington  Beach,  Han- 
ford, Santa  Maria. 

The  following  schools  have  signified  intention  to  introduce  agriculture  in 
the  near  future:  Claremont,  San  Bernardino,  Riverside,  Azusa,  Mon- 
rovia, Huntington  Park  (which  now  has  16  acres  of  land),  Selma, 
King  City,  Monterey,  Visalia,  Auburn,  Ventura,  Centerville,  Ontario, 
and  doubtless  others. 


REPORT  ON  AGRICULTURE  IN  CALIFORNIA 
HIGH  SCHOOLS. 

By  C.  J.  BOOTH. 


There  are  in  the  state  at  the  present  time  at  least  a  score  of  public 
high  schools  offering  instruction  in  some  phase  of  agriculture.  At  the 
following  schools  men  are  now  employed  for  the  purpose  primarily 
of  teaching  the  agricultural  subjects:  Hollywood,  Gardena,  Fresno, 
Kern  County  at  Bakersfield,  Oxnard,  'Livermore,  Stockton,  Brawley, 
Imperial  (Lordsburg,  Escondido,  and  Ferndale).  In  addition  to 
these,  agriculture  receives  attention  in  the  curricula  of  several  other 
schools:  Huntington  Beach,  Hanford,  Santa  Maria  (Salinas,  Sebasto- 
pol,  Le  Grand,  Porterville,  Ventura,  Santa  Cruz,  Colusa,  Hanford, 
Tulare  and  no  doubt  others). 

The  opportunity  came  to  me  last  fall  to  visit  all  the  above  named 
schools,  except  those  enclosed  in  parentheses,  for  the  special  purpose 
of  seeing  at  first  hand  the  results  of  the  incorporation  of  agriculture 
into  the  public  secondary  schools  of  the  state.  What  I  shall  have 
to  say  about  the  development  of  the  subject  in  California  will  be  based, 
therefore,  on  what  I  saw  at  that  time. 

I  attempted,  in  visiting  the  different  schools,  to  examine  as  far  as 
possible  all  the  main  factors  that  entered  into  each  case.  Data  were 
collected  regarding  the  reasons  for  the  establishment  of  the  special 
courses,  with  an  effort  in  each  case  to  come  as  closely  as  possible  to  the 
ultimate  motive.  I  made  it  a  point  to  ascertain  at  each  school  the  cost 
of  the  course  in  salary  and  equipment,  as  well  as  the  number  of 
students  enrolled.  It  was  found  to  be  of  interest  and  profit,  also,  to 
inquire  into  the  relation  of  the  agricultural  courses  to  the  other  science 
courses — and  instructors —  of  the  several  schools.  The  methods  of  the 
teacher,  as  regarded  use  of  garden,  experimental  plot,  etc.,  were  always 
interesting ;  and  the  attitude  of  the  community,  while  not  always  easy 
to  determine  in  so  short  a  time,  was  of  course  a  real  factor  in  each  case. 
Then,  each  instructor  had  his  own  method  of  teaching.  The  fact  that 
classes  bear  the  same  name  in  different  schools  is  no  guarantee  that 


they  have  a  very  strong  resemblance;  a  fact  not  surprising  when  it 
is  remembered  that  in  the  main  they  are  being  given  for  the  first 
time  this  year.  Finally,  and  to  my  mind  by  far  most  important  of 
all,  I  tried  to  gain  some  idea  of  the  teacher  himself;  his  ability,  his 
preparation;  above  all,  his  personality  as  it  impressed  itself  upon  the 
students  in  the  class  room  and  elsewhere. 

Agriculture  in  the  secondary  schools  of  California  presents  as 
many  aspects  as  there  are  different  schools  dealing  with  the  subject. 
The  state  schools  at  San  Luis  Obispo  and  Davis  are  in  a  class  by 
themselves.  They  are  doing  their  own  work  in  their  own  way.  Their 
support  comes  directly  from  the  Legislature,  and  they  bear  no  such 
relation  to  the  communities  in  which  they  are  situated  as  do  the  local 
schools. 

There  is  also  a  wide  divergence  among  the  high  schools.  Such  a 
school  as  that  at  Bakersfield  has  a  county  to  draw  on  for  support,  and 
an  agricultural  community  to*  serve ;  while  other  schools  have  com- 
paratively scant  revenues,  and  patrons  who  may  or  may  not  be  in 
sympathy  with  such  apparent  innovations  as  agriculture. 

The  Santa  Maria  High  School  advertises  in  its  course  of  study  that 
about  one-fourth  of  the  time  in  the  science  classes  is  devoted  to  agri- 
cultural aspects  of  the  several  subjects;  and  since  there  are  four 
science  courses,  the  aggregate  amount  of  agricultural  instruction  is 
therefore  equivalent  to  a  year  course.  This  arrangement  is  typical 
of  that  worked  out  in  several  of  the  schools. 

There  is  always  a  tendency  in  these  cases  for  either  the  agriculture 
or  the  regular  science  to  predominate.  In  the  case  of  the  Santa  Maria 
school  the  latter  is  the  case.  The  science  teacher  has  studied  some 
phases  of  agriculture,  such  as  chemistry  of  soils,  and  has  given  a 
year  course  in  the  subject.  At  the  same  time,  his  class  work  can 
hardly  be  referred  to  as  agricultural  in  the  same  sense  that  a  course 
in  agricultural  chemistry  at  the  University  Farm  School  would  be  so 
designated.  In  a  similar  way,  the  botany  instructor  uses  Osterhout's 
" Experiments  with  Plants"  as  a  text,  and  gives  not  a  little  experi- 
mental work  that  is  directly  allied  with  agricultural  practice.  But 
the  botany  again,  rather  than  the  agriculture,  predominates.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  course  at  Oxnard  illustrates  the  opposite  tendency. 
The  natural  science  teacher  has  two  classes,  one  of  which  he  calls 
general  science,  the  other,  botany.  But  the  greater  part  of  the  work 
in  each  case  is  agricultural.3 

In  other  schools,  either  on  account  of  public  demand  or  for  other 


See  report  on  Oxnard  school,  pp.  39,  40. 


causes,  the  subject  has  been  introduced  in  a  more  systematic  manner. 
At  Stockton  the  instructor  has  three  classes  in  agriculture — general 
agriculture,  livestock,  and  dairying.  There  is  a  total  enrolment  of 
530 ;  nine  per  cent  of  this  number  are  taking  one  or  more  agricultural 
courses. 

The  subject  has  been  well  advertised,  City  Superintendent  of 
Schools  James  A.  Barr  having  outlined  his  plans  in  some  detail.  They 
may  be  summarized  as  follows.  There  are  to  be  two  high  school 
courses,  one  of  two  years,  the  other  of  four  years.  The  course  for 
boys  is  to  be  planned  with  reference  to  the  problems  of  the  region 
about  Stockton,  and  that  for  girls  to  be  along  the  line  of  domestic 
arts.  The  director  in  charge  of  the  course  is  to  confer  constantly 
with  farmers  relative  to  their  problems,  and  to  direct,  in  cooperation 
with  the  University,  short  courses  for  their  benefit.  The  Director  is 
to  issue  leaflets  bearing  on  the  agricultural  problems  of  the  district, 
to  hold  teachers'  institutes  in  the  interest  of  agricultural  teaching, 
and  to  have  charge  of  the  work  in  nature  study,  elementary  agricul- 
ture and  school  gardening.  In  addition  to  these  lines  of  endeavor, 
the  high  school  department  is  to  carry  on  experimentation  in  different 
parts  of  the  county,  partly  on  its  own  initiative,  partly  in  coopera- 
tion with  the  Experiment  Station  at  Berkeley  and  with  the  United 
States  Department  of  Agriculture. 

There  is  undoubted  good  in  putting  the  work  of  any  school  before 
the  community.  At  the  same  time,  this  school  is  teaching  the  people 
to  expect  a  great  deal.  Work  that  is  too  hasty  in  the  beginning  may 
be  delayed  on  that  account  at  a  later  stage  in  its  development. 

At  the  Hollywood  High  School  there  is  an  attendance  of  450  stu- 
dents. A  group  of  buildings  just  completed  and  adequately  equipped 
with  apparatus  places  it  among  the  foremost  schools  in  this  respect. 
The  principal  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  need  of  agricultural  instruc- 
tion, and  is  planning  accordingly.  Three  rooms  in  the  new  science 
building  will  be  devoted  to  agriculture ;  one  provided  with  lockers  for 
tools,  one  for  supplies,  one  in  which  to  do  indoor  laboratory  work.  In 
addition  to  these  there  is  a  propagating  house,  12  x  50  feet,  covered 
with  glass,  with  shelves  within,  and  it  is  intended  that  a  portion  of 
the  school  grounds  will  be  used  for  garden  purposes.  There  is  not 
the  demand  here  for  agriculture  that  exists  in  more  distinctly  agri- 
cultural communities ;  nor  are  the  channels  of  administrative  opera- 
tion such  that  the  development  of  the  subject  will  be  favored  to  any 
great  extent,  for  Hollywood  like  the  other  schools  of  Los  Angeles 
is  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  City  Board  of  Education. 


10 

In  this  connection,  the  case  of  Gardena  is  an  interesting  one.  It 
likewise  is  under  the  supervision  of  the  same  board,  but  it  is  generally 
understood  that  this  school  will  in  its  development  be  a  distinctly  agri- 
cultural institution.  There  are  this  year  three  agricultural  courses: 
general  science,  which  is  required  of  all  freshmen ;  horticulture  and 
botany.     The  instructor  in  agriculture  is  wTell  qualified  for  his  work. 

If  I  were  to  select  the  one  school  in  California  which  I  think  illus- 
trates beyond  others  a  rational  development  of  all  the  problems — 
class-room  work,  experiment  station  and  the  rest — of  agricultural 
instruction,  I  should  choose  the  Kern  County  High  School.  It  is 
located  at  Bakersfield  and  has  an  attendance  of  307.  It  draws  its 
students  from  all  parts  of  the  county.  It  has  a  course  of  study 
adapted  to  the  peculiar  conditions  of  that  locality,  as  shown  by  the 
following  arrangement.  During  the  first  two  years  there  is  prac- 
tically one  course  only,  but  at  the  beginning  of  the  junior  year  the 
student  may  choose  one  of  the  following  courses :  Academic,  Domestic, 
Commercial,  Wood-working,  Metal-working,  Drafting,  Electricity, 
Assaying,  Agriculture.  The  course  in  agriculture  at  this  school  has 
been  very  carefully  worked  out.  At  the  present  time  there  is  but  one 
class  in  the  subject,  the  members  of  which  are  juniors.  The  text  used 
is  Warren's  " Elements  of  Agriculture."  There  is  an  enrolment  in 
this  course  of  21  students,  which  is  about  7  per  cent  of  the  total 
enrolment.  At  the  beginning  of  next  year  another  course  will  be  added 
in  accordance  with  the  schedule  already  mentioned;  so  that  the  per- 
centage enrolment  will  no  doubt  be  considerably  increased. 

The  school  has  also  undertaken  to  conduct  an  experiment  farm. 
A  plot  of  27  acres  has  been  purchased  just  outside  of  the  town  at  a 
cost  of  $16,000.  It  was  being  plowed  and  fenced  when  I  was  there 
last  November.  The  plans  of  the  school  work  and  of  the  manage- 
ment of  this  plot  have  been  so  carefully  worked  out  by  the  principal 
and  the  instructor  in  agriculture  that  I  give  them  herewith  in  full : 

Bakersfield,  California,  June  7,  1910. 
To  the  Honorable  Board  of  Education  of  Kern  County. 

Gentlemen : — As  a  result  of  the  consideration  we  have  given  to  the 
subject  of  agriculture  during  the  past  year  and  from  the  conferences 
we  have  had  with  Dr.  Leroy  Anderson,  with  due  attention  to  the 
objects  and  conditions  to  be  met,  we  have  reached  the  following  con- 
clusions : 

The  Kern  County  High  School  can  conduct  an  experimental  farm 


11 

with  profit  to  its  students  and  to  the  agricultural  interests  of  Kern 
County. 

To  accomplish  this  result  the  farm  should  be  planned  to  meet  the 
conditions  and  tendencies  of  agriculture  in  this  county. 

The  tendency  in  this  county  is  toward  the  growing  of  forage  crops, 
alfalfa  in  particular,  and  dairying. 

The  farm  should,  therefore,  be  large  enough  to  afford  room  for 
demonstration  work  in  the  growing  of  field  crops,  and  also  large 
enough  to  support  a  small  dairy  herd.  It  should  contain  twenty  acres, 
not  less.  It  should  be  as  good  land  as  can  be  found.  It  should  neces- 
sarily be  as  near  the  high  school  as  possible. 

Its  objects  should  be  several :  to  provide  a  demonstration  field  for 
students ;  to  demonstrate  better  practical  methods  to  farmers ;  to  show 
them  how  the  maximum  yield  may  be  obtained  from  the  land  while 
maintaining  the  fertility  of  the  soil;  to  lead  the  way  to  better  farm 
home-making;  to  improve  the  quality  and  yield  of  the  chief  crops  of 
this  locality. 

As  a  field  laboratory  for  students  the  farm  should  be  used  for  the 
study  of  soils  and  soil  fertility,  for  the  practical  application  of  the 
work  in  soil  analysis  which  should  be  carried  on  in  the  school  labora- 
tories and  the  proper  use  of  commercial  fertilizers  and  green  manures ; 
for  the  study  of  the  best  varieties  and  the  best  methods  of  growing 
the  field  and  forage  crops  of  this  locality ;  studying  and  measuring  the 
amount  of  water  needed  by  different  crops  and  how  water  may  be 
saved;  to  give  the  pupils  some  part  in  all  the  experimental  work  of 
the  farm. 

In  order  to  instruct  pupils  in  the  best  kind  of  dairying  and  to 
demonstrate  it  to  farmers  the  farm  should  have  a  herd  of  ten  cows. 
By  beginning  with  a  herd  composed  chiefly  of  grade  cows  and  using 
only  a  pure  bred  bull  the  farm  should  illustrate  how  a  dairy  herd  may 
be  graded  up  to  greater  efficiency.  The  farm  should  have  an  up-to- 
date  dairy  barn  and  milk  house  planned  for  thorough  sanitation  and 
economy  in  handling.  It  should  demonstrate  at  all  times  absolute 
cleanliness  and  convenience. 

The  farm  should  have  two  good  work  animals.  By  beginning  with 
two  good  mares  the  breeding  of  first-class  farm  horses  should  be  dem- 
onstrated. 

For  the  purpose  of  illustrating  the  higher  profit  in  better  hogs 
and  poultry,  as  well  as  demonstrating  the  best  methods  of  handling 
them  and  preventing  their  diseases,  the  farm  should  have  a  few  pure 
bred  hogs  and  poultry. 


12 

The  conduct  of  the  farm  should  illustrate  at  every  point  intensive 
farming',  that  is,  getting  the  highest  amount  of  produce  from  the  soil 
without  reducing  its  fertility. 

The  farm  should  keep  careful  records  of  the  cost  of  each  kind  of 
work,  of  the  income  from  each  crop,  and  of  each  kind  of  stock.  It 
should  keep  exact  records  of  the  food  used  and  the  milk  and  butter 
fat  produced  by  each  cow.  All  these  records  should  always  be  open 
to  public  inspection.  They  should  be  simple  and  should  be  used  as 
illustration  of  the  best  methods  of  keeping  farm  accounts.  The  pupils 
should  also  be  taught  how  to  keep  such  accounts. 

The  farm  should  have  an  ideal  farm  house  with  modern  plumbing 
and  conveniences  and  a  septic  tank  for  the  disposal  of  sewage.  The 
object  is  two-fold.  The  house  provides  the  necessary  residence  on  the 
ground  for  the  farmer  in  charge,  and  should  illustrate  to  everyone 
a  sensible,  convenient  and  sanitary  farm  house.  For  this  latter  pur- 
pose it  should  always  be  open  to  inspection.  It  should  have  the  septic 
tank  to  illustrate  an  inexpensive  and  safe  disposal  of  sewage  on  a 
farm. 

The  farm  should  have  a  pumping  plant  for  domestic  supply  and 
for  irrigation  purposes  in  order  to  render  it  independent  of  other 
users  of  water. 

By  experimenting  with  varieties  of  the  principal  crops  of  this 
locality  and  by  following  careful  seed  selection  the  farm  should  im- 
prove the  quality  and  yield  of  the  chief  crops  of  the  region.  Such 
experimental  plots  can  be  made  small  in  size  and  large  enough  in  num- 
ber to  be  of  real  value  to  the  farmers  of  the  county. 

From  these  conclusions  it  may  be  seen  that  we  believe  that  the 
value  of  the  farm  as  a  concrete  illustration  to  the  farmers  of  this 
county  will  be  at  least  as  great  as  its  value  for  the  purpose  of  instruct- 
ing pupils.  As  a  permanent  living  exhibit  we  believe  it  can  be  made 
to  pay  a  solid  return  in  dollars  and  cents  to  this  county  in  increased 
profits  from  better  methods  and  better  crops. 

In  the  same  way  I  believe  the  instructor  in  agriculture  can  be  fully 
as  useful  outside  the  school  as  in  it.  I  do  not  believe  he  should  have 
anything  else  to  do  in  the  school  but  handle  his  agricultural  classes 
and  direct  the  farm  work.  I  think  he  should  be  free  to  get  out  among 
the  farmers,  get  acquainted  with  them,  help  them  wherever  possible, 
get  them  interested  in  improvement,  and  bring  to  their  attention  any 
good  thing  to  their  advantage.  In  my  opinion  as  much  can  be  done 
in  this  direction  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  county  as  in  any  other. 

This  outline,  necessarily  brief,  is  submitted  in  the  hope  that  it  will 


13 

have  the  examination  and  criticism  of  the  chairman  of  the  Board  of 
Supervisors,  whose  recent  visit  to  the  agricultural  schools  of  Germany 
should  give  his  judgment  great  weight  in  any  plans  which  may  be 
formed. 

Subjoined  is  an  estimate  of  the  cost  of  equipping  and  maintaining 
such  a  farm  as  that  above  described : 
Dairy  barn,  with  concrete  floor  and  necessary  drainage,  hay  storage  and 

shed  room  for  horses  $2,000.00 

Cows — Eight  grades  at  $50   $400.00 

Two  pure  bred  at  $200  400.00 

800.00 

Hogs — Three  pure  bred   : 60.00 

Poultry   50.00 

Sheds  for  hogs  and  poultry,  including  fences  200.00 

Silo    300.00 

Milk  house  700.00 

Milk  house  equipment — One  2  H.  P.  boiler  $  75.00 

One    separator    100.00 

Milk  cans  20.00 

Milk  vat  60.00 

255.00 

Two  pure  bred  mares  600.00 

Pump  and  motor  200.00 

Well    100.00 

Concrete  pipe  for  garden  plots  225.00 

Tank  for  domestic  supply  200.00 

Farm    equipment — Wagon    $100.00 

Harness  30.00 

Mower   65.00 

Eake    35.00 

Plow 15.00 

Harrow    15.00 

Cultivator     10.00 

Spading    harrow    45.00 

Tools,    etc 150.00 

Manure  spreader  250.00 

Fertilizers  125.00 

840.00 
Modern  cottage  with  septic  tank  for  sewage  disposal  2,500.00 

$9,030.00 
Annual    maintenance    2,500.00 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Benjamin  Macomber. 

[Note  :  The  above  estimate  does  not  include  the  original  cost  of 
the  land.    In  order  to  show  the  actual  expenditure  to  date  and  the  pro- 


14 

posed  outlay  for  next  year,  the  following  statement  has  kindly  been 
furnished  by  the  school  officials.     E.  B.  B.]   • 

Kern  County  (Bakersfield)  High  School — Equipment  for  agricul- 
ture as  per  inventory,  June,  1911 : 

27  acres  of  land  and  buildings  $16,000.00 

Pumping  plant  675.00 

Ten-inch  concrete  irrigation  system  700.00 

Farm  tools — One  harrow  $  25.00 

One  plow  17.50 

One  large  plow  65.00 

One  spading  harrow 55.00 

One  mower  62.50 

One  hay  rake  42.50 

One  grain  drill  35.00 

One  manure  spreader  175.00 

One  walking  cultivator  9.50 

Garden  tools  45.00 

532.00 

Farm  fence  200.00 


$18,107.00 
Proposed  equipment  for  next  year : 

Green  house   $    300.00 

Dairy  barn   2,000.00 

Creamery    1,000.00 


$3,300.00 


In  some  schools  the  experiment  station  idea  receives  little  or  no 
attention.  At  Fresno,  where  there  is  a  special  instructor  in  agricul- 
tural subjects,  there  is  no. land  devoted  to  such  purposes.  In  other 
localities  the  experiment  station  looms  larger  than  any  other  aspect 
of  the  subject.  The  Gardena  school  owns  12  acres  of  land,  all  under 
irrigation.  Some  of  this  land  is  being  used  at  the  present  time  for 
school  gardens;  and  incidentally,  these  gardens  here  are  especially 
well  planned  and  taken  care  of.  It  is  intended  to  use  the  entire  acre- 
age either  in  connection  with  the  school  work,  or  for  experimental 
purposes.  The  Oxnard  High  School  owns  a  lot  of  about  three  acres, 
and  will  carry  on  systematic  experiments  there.4 

An  experiment  station  is  a  large  responsibility.  To  secure  results 
that  shall  be  really  valuable,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  man  who  is  fitted 
by  training  and  temperament  for  this  kind  of  work.     As  a  rule,  the 


See  Report,  p.  44. 


15 

school  must  utilize  its  agricultural  man  in  the  class  room ;  and  the 
good  pedagogue  may  not  be  good  in  original  research.  That,  however, 
is  not  the  most  serious  objection.  In  a  university  the  instructor  is 
stable ;  he  is  not  subject  to  the  caprice  of  a  school  board  or  a  body  of 
citizens.  He  accepts  his  position  with  the  expectation  of  holding  it 
a  long  while.  In  the  high  schools — at  least  in  most  of  them — condi- 
tions are  different.  It  is  not  easy  to  foresee  how  this  problem  will 
be  adjusted.  That  there  are  great  possibilities  in  the  idea  there  can" 
be  no  doubt,  A  glance  at  one  specific  example  will  abundantly  show 
this  fact, 

Tuolumne  County  inherited  the  traditions  of  the  days  of  '49.  It 
was  first  settled  by  miners.  The  towns  were  built  in  the  vicinity  of 
rich  diggings.  The  newspapers  of  the  county  still  point  with  pride 
and  hope  tc  the  annual  gold  production  of  the  county.  Fifteen  years 
ago  the  railroad  came  into  the  county,  and  soon  thereafter  lumbering 
became  one  of  the  leading  industries.  In  the  meanwhile  the  old,  neg- 
lected apple  orchards  continued  to  bear  delicious  fruit  year  by  year; 
and  finally  some  progressive  farmers  noted  the  fact  that  the  colored 
apples  were  especially  fine  in  color  and  flavor. 

That  was  the  beginning  of  a  new  industry.  Men  began  to  plant 
orchards.  The  water  that  had  been  carried  long  distances  through 
ditches  to  the  mines  was  turned  into  the  orchards;  and  the  process 
of  development  went  forward. 

But  in  the  meantime,  the  fact  was  developed  that  Tuolumne  County 
had  its  problems  in  apple  culture ;  has  them,  in  fact,  at  this  time. 
Therein  lies  the  opportunity  of  the  experiment  station.  Sonora  is  the 
county  seat.  All  roads  lead  thither.  There  is  a  county  high  school 
in  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  where  land  is  available.  It  is  the  only 
high  school  in  the  county.  An  experiment  station,  located  there,  in 
charge  of  a  competent  man,  would  be  of  great  value.  In  addition,  this 
man  could  cooperate  with  the  high  school  authorities  in  working  out 
a  course  that  would  put  the  boys  of  Tuolumne  County  in  touch  with 
what  really  is  being  done  in  the  matter  of  scientific  agriculture. 

In  all  the  schools  where  agricultural  work  is  being  undertaken 
there  is  an  obvious  desire  to  cooperate  with  and  be  of  greater  service 
to  the  community.  This  is  as  it  should  be.  "When  we  consider  the 
matter  seriously,"  says  Dr.  Anderson,  "it  seems  incongruous  that  a 
high  school  in  a  small  town,  surrounded  by  a  rich  agricultural  terri- 
tory, should  be  devoting  all  its  money  and  energy  to  instruction  in 
language,  history,  mathematics,  and  a  little  science,  with  not  a  word 
or  thought  of  the  industry  which  gives  the  place  its  being,  and  with 


16 

no  correlation  between  the  subjects  taught  and  the  live,  throbbing 
heart  of  the  whole  community — its  agriculture. ' ' 

This  cooperation  does  not  confine  itself  to  the  class  room;  that  is 
the  best  part  of  it.  In  every  high  school  where  a  distinctly  agricul- 
tural instructor  is  employed,  this  instructor  spends  a  part  of  his  time 
among  the  farmers.  Thus,  at  Imperial,  the  instructor  goes  out  every 
afternoon  into  the  country,  where  he  meets  the  farmers,  becoming 
acquainted  with  their  problems  and  with  them,  assisting  them  wher- 
ever possible.  The  same  is  true  of  the  instructor  at  Stockton,  at 
Bakersfield,  and  at  other  places.  Great  good  will  result  from  this 
mutual  acquaintance  and  interchange  of  ideas,  not  only  to  the  farmer, 
but  to  the  instructor  as  well.  The  instructor  under  such  circumstances 
lives  among  people  as  well  as  in  their  midst. 

The  agricultural  instructor  by  the  very  nature  of  his  work  is 
forced  to  remain  in  the  student  class.  He  is  not  in  the  position  of 
the  teacher  of  algebra,  English,  or  history,  who  covers  the  same  ground 
year  after  year,  and  to  whom  growth,  if  not  arrested,  is  at  least  not 
given  so  great  encouragement. 

The  very  contrary  is  the  case.  The  agricultural  instructor  is  sub- 
jected to  a  constant  process  of  examination.  On  the  one  hand  his 
work  in  the  class  room  is  being  watched  by  his  colleagues,  who  regard 
his  course  as  in  the  nature  of  a  laboratory  experiment;  and  on  the 
other  the  practical  aspects  are  being  questioned  by  the  farmers  and 
farmers'  sons  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact.  Said  one  person  to 
me,  speaking  of  a  certain  instructor:  "He  is  a  good  teacher,  but  he 
is  from  the  East,  and  unacquainted  with  California  conditions."  As 
a  direct  consequence,  this  man  realizes  that  he  must  modify  what  he 
learned  in  an  eastern  institution  concerning  balanced  rations;  he 
must  always  be  ready  to  change  previously  formed  opinions.  There 
is  a  certain  advantage  in  having  the  expert  agriculturalist  in  the  high 
school;  for  he  is  close  to  the  people,  and  hence  more  intimately  in 
touch  with  the  test  that  must  be  finally  applied  to  all  his  work. 

There  is  always  a  danger  in  over-emphasis.  "My  agricultural 
class  expected  that  by  some  sort  of  magic  they  might  become  rich 
without  work,"  said  one  instructor  to  me.  "Some  of  them  wanted 
to  drop  out  as  soon  as  they  found  that  they  were  expected  to  use  a 
spade."  These  same  youngsters  were  soon  disillusioned;  and  now 
they  have  a  well  prepared  school  garden,  where  they  are  studying 
at  first  hand  the  effects  of  fertilizers,  of  different  methods  of  cultiva- 
tion, of  frequent  and  no  cultivation,  and  so  forth. 


17 


IMPORTANCE  OF  GOOD  EQUIPMENT. 

Agricultural  education  that  is  worthy  of  the  name  requires  equip- 
ment ;  perhaps  more  than  any  other  high  school  course.  I  am  aware 
of  the  things  to  be  said  on  the  other  side.  I  recall  one  school  where 
the  cash  outlay  had  been  very  small.  The  work  was  done  by  the  stu- 
dents— as  it  should  be.  The  instructor  had  created  his  laboratory 
out  of  the  raw  material  at  hand;  boxes  and  implements  and  a  plot  of 
ground.  The  results  were  very  good  indeed.  There  is  such  a  thing 
also  as  the  appropriation  habit.  Carried  to  an  extreme  (as  it  some- 
times is)  it  kills  the  spirit  of  true  education.  But  after  all  is  said  the 
fact  remains  that  equipment  is  an  absolute  essential. 

The  most  expensive  item  is  the  experiment  station ;  that  has  already 
been  referred  to.  Special  apparatus  is  necessary  for  the  different 
courses.  For  dairying,  the  Babcock  test  apparatus  is  of  course  in- 
dispensible ;  and  other  equipment  sufficient  to  carry  on  ordinary  dairy 
practice  is  desirable.5  In  all  the  classes  there  should  be  an  adequate 
supply  of  tools,  as  well  as  illustrative  material;  and  the  teacher  will 
be  seriously  handicapped  who  does  not  have  a  good  agricultural 
library  at  his  command.  This  latter  need  not,  of  course,  be  extensive. 
A  select  list  of  recommended  books  is  given  in  Appendix  B  of  this 
report.  Many  of  the  schools  have  greenhouses ;  indeed,  that  seems  to 
have  been  one  of  the  first  items  considered.  These  greenhouses  cost 
from  $10  to  $250,  depending  on  their  simplicity  or  elaborateness,  and 
the  amount  of  student  labor  utilized  in  their  construction. 

THE  AGRICULTURAL  SUBJECTS. 

What  is  meant  by  "agricultural  instruction?"  It  is  a  fact  that 
of  twenty-one  classes  visited,  and  in  which  agriculture  was  a  large 
if  not  the  predominating  feature,  eight  were  called  by  other  names. 
There  were  six  classes  in  general  science,  and  two  in  botany.  Of  the 
remaining,  seven  were  designated  general  agriculture,  three  horticul- 
ture, one  livestock,  one  livestock  and  dairying,  and  one  dairying.  Thus 
it  is  seen  that  more  than  one-third  of  the  work  here  indicated,  while 
agricultural  in  nature,  does  not  appear  as  such  in  the  schedule  of 
exercises. 

General  Science. 

The  University  is  partially  responsible  for  this.  In  its  outline  of 
the  general  science  course,  it  clearlv  indicates  that  the  work  shall  be 


5  See  recommended  lists,  Appendix  A. 


18 

directed  toward  a  consideration  of  the  things  close  at  hand  on  the 
farm.  "The  course,"  says  the  Circular  of  Information,  "should  deal 
with  such  elementary  scientific  principles  as  are  involved  in  garden- 
ing, including  a  study  of  soil  and  elementary  physiography;  house- 
hold operations ;  sanitation ;  simple  machinery,  including  the  steam 
engine,  the  weather,  the  change  of  seasons,  and  similar  natural 
phenomena."  If  the  training  of  the  instructor  in  botany  has  been 
along  agricultural  lines,  it  is  easy  to  see  that  he  will  give  the  economic 
aspects  of  the  subject  the  greater  emphasis;  the  course  adapts  itself 
very  naturally  to  the  teaching  of  many  of  the  most  important  con- 
siderations involved  in  farming. 

General  Agriculture. 

In  one  school,  the  instructor  in  general  agriculture  is  using  a  text 
"Agriculture  for  Schools  of  the  Pacific  Slope,"  by  Hilgard  and 
Osterhout ;  he  does  not,  however,  confine  himself  to  it  entirely,  but 
makes  extensive  use  of  the  bulletins  of  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture.  In  this  case  the  class  consists  of  first  year  pupils. 
When  the  above  named  text  has  come  into  use  in  the  grammar  schools 
of  the  county,  this  arrangement  will  not  be  advisable  if  general 
science  is  required.  In  the  other  schools  this  course  is  given  to  second, 
third,  or  fourth  year  pupils,  and  the  instructors  follow  the  outline  of 
of  work  given  in  Warren's  "Elements  of  Agriculture,"  while  the 
majority  of  them  depart  from  the  text  in  many  essential  particulars. 

Dairying. 

In  one  school  dairying  is  combined  with  general  agriculture,  and 
occupies  about  a  month  or  six  weeks.  In  other  localities  where  con- 
ditions warrant  its  introduction,  it  is  treated  as  a  separate  course, 
as  provided  for  in  the  admission  requirements  of  the  University.  It 
is  an  excellent  course.  I  have  had  opportunity  to  observe  it  at  first 
hand.  Every  afternoon  as  I  am  writing  this  the  boys  in  the  dairy 
laboratory  down-stars  are  testing  milk  from  the  farms  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. I  have  watched  the  class  with  a  great  deal  of  interest,  with  a 
view  to  determining  both  the  good  and  the  unfavorable  aspects  of  the 
course.  I  am  bound  to  say  that  I  find  the  latter  almost  entirely  absent. 
The  students  are  keenly  interested  in  their  work ;  partly  from  the  fact 
that  it  will  be  of  money  value  to  them ;  partly  because  through  it  they 
are  coming  to  see  the  larger  aspects  of  something  they  were  already 
familiar  with.     I  find  also  that  the  community  is  taking  note  of  the 


19 

work  of  the  class.  Samples  of  milk  and  cream  are  sent  in  occasionally 
to  be  tested.  Their  high  school  work  is  making  of  these  farmers'  boys 
more  efficient  farmers,  and  hence  better  citizens.  Nor  is  that  all ;  the 
work  in  the  laboratory  has  shown  the  students  some  arguments  in 
favor  of  taking  other  sciences,  such  as  chemistry.  Thus  the  course 
has  advantages  that  were  at  first  not  suspected. 

Horticulture. 

The  classes  in  horticulture  show  a  wide  diversity  of  procedure. 
One  instructor  gives  under  this  title  much  of  the  material  given  in 
the  general  agriculture  course  of  other  schools.  At  the  Gardena 
school,  the  instructor  has  prepared  a  definite  plan  for  the  work  in 
horticulture.  He  gives  in  the  laboratory  considerable  practical  work 
in  budding  and  grafting;  he  also  outlines  to  the  class  the  entire 
plant  kingdom  in  some  detail  as  to  families,  mentioning  especially 
economic  and  ornamental  plants;  he  spends  some  time  in  a  study 
of  plant  diseases  and  pests,  treatment  of  grounds,  etc.  This  course 
as  he  has  outlined  it,  follows  that  given  under  the  admission 
requirements  of  the  University:  "The  study  includes  the  fruits  and 
vines  of  California,  and  especially  of  the  individual  pupil's  home 
region,  as  to  varieties,  methods  of  growth,  cultivation  and  marketing. 
At  least  one-third  of  the  exercises  should  be  laboratory  or  field  work, 
covering  propagation  by  the  different  methods  of  budding,  grafting 
and  layering;  examination  of  insects  and  fungus  diseases;  mixing 
sprays  and  spraying;  pruning  and  treating  wounds;  planting,  culti- 
vating and  irrigating  trees  and  vines,  gathering  and  packing  fruit ; 
decorating  home  and  school  grounds  with  shrubs,  trees,  vines  and 
flowers. ' ' 

It  is  not  always  possible,  for  various  reasons,  to  introduce  agricul- 
tural courses  at  once  into  the  curriculum.  As  already  stated,  how- 
ever, it  is  easy  to  so  modify  other  courses  that  they  contain  much  refer- 
ence to  agriculture.  I  have  before  me  Circular  No.  24  (Rev.)  of  the 
Office  of  Experiment  Stations,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.  It 
is  entitled  "Free  Publications  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture 
Classified  for  the  Use  of  Teachers."  Under  the  heading,  "Publica- 
tions Adapted  to  Teaching  Chemistry,"  I  find  this  list  of  titles  of 
publications : 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

The  Liming  of  Soils. 


20 

Alkali  Lands. 

Important  Insecticides:    Directions  for  their  Preparation  and  Use. 

Industrial  Alcohol:   Sources  and  Manufacture. 

Leguminous  Crops  for  Green  Manuring  (A  Source  of  N  in  the  Soil). 

Harmfulness  of  Headache  Mixtures. 

Potato  Culls  as  a  Source  of  Industrial  Alcohol. 

Papermaking  Materials  and  their  Conservation. 

The  Determination  of  Total  Sulfur  in  Organic  Matter. 

The  Use  of  HCN  for  Fumigating  Greenhouses  and  Cold  Frames. 

Acid  Soils. 

The  Present  Status  of  the  Nitrogen  Problem. 

Similar  lists  are  given  for  the  use  of  teachers  of  botany,  domestic 
science  and  hygiene,  geography,  physics,  physiology,  and  zoology 
(including  entomology).  These  indicate  the  opportunity  open  to  the 
teacher  to  incorporate  material  of  practical  interest  into  the  regular 
science  courses. 

One  high  school  course  has  been  neglected  in  this  regard  to  the 
disadvantage,  I  believe,  of  the  farmer  and  of  the  course  itself ;  I  refer 
to  bookkeeping.  Every  system  that  I  have  examined  to  date  deals 
with  some  form  of  business  with  which  the  majority  of  students  never 
come  into  contact.  There  are  copious  sets  for  practice,  dealing  with 
wholesale  and  retail  merchandise,  with  banking,  and  with  many  other 
forms  of  business;  but  when  I  desired,  a  few  months  since,  to  obtain 
trial  sets  illustrating  bookkeeping  on  the  farm,  I  was  able  to  learn 
from  publishers  and  instructors  of  only  .one  book  containing  what  I 
wanted;  and  that  is  not  yet  off  the  press.  Here  in  the  Imperial  Val- 
ley there  are  at  the  present  time  between  two  and  three  hundred  stu- 
dents in  the  high  schools,  and  the  commercial  course  has  its  full  quota. 
Of  these  very  few  will  ever  work  in  the  stores,  and  fewer  still,  of 
course,  in  the  banks.  Many  of  them  on  the  other  hand  are  intimately 
concerned  with  farm  affairs,  and  could  greatly  assist  in  systematizing 
the  accounts  there  if  their  attention  were  called  to  the  matter.  Well- 
kept  accounts  would  work  a  great  good  to  any  farming  community, 
and  the  high  school  can  do  much  to  introduce  them.  To  be  sure,  the 
principles  of  bookkeeping  hold  true  for  any  business,  and  the  sets 
used  in  class  are  for  practice  only.  But  in  reality  the  class-room  work 
is  establishing  a  groove,  and  bookkeeping  should  be  frankly  recognized 
as  intimately  connected  with  the  chief  business  of  the  community, 
which  is  in  most  cases  its  agriculture. 

[Another  subject,  which  may  be  correlated  in  part  with  agricul- 
ture with  mutual  profit,  is  mechanical  art.  In  Fresno  High  School 
plans  have  already  been  made  for  accomplishing  this.     E.  B.  B.] 


21 


OBJECTIONS    TO    THE    INTRODUCTION    OF    AGRICULTURE. 

A  great  deal  may  be  said  in  favor  of  agriculture  in  the  schools. 
There  are  also  some  arguments  on  the  other  side.  The  problems  that 
arise  must  be  met  sooner  or  later;  better,  therefore,  sooner.  Chief 
among  these  is  the  administrative  problem.  The  high  school  has  been 
called  upon  within  a  few  years  to  vastly  increase  the  scope  of  its  work. 
There  is  a  wide-spread  demand  for  the  so-called  commercial  courses; 
manual  training,  also,  has  necessitated  a  well-equipped  laboratory 
and  a  special  teacher.  Some  of  the  larger  schools,  indeed,  cause  one 
to  pause  and  to  wonder  what,  after  all,  is  a  high  school  and  what  a 
university. 

The  demand  for  agricultural  men  is  greater  than  the  supply;  so 
that,  although  they  may  teach  without  the  special  post  graduate  year 
of  work  required  of  most  other  instructors,  they  are  able  to  command 
a  salary  much  higher  than  the  average.  Not  every  school  by  any 
means  can  afford  to  undertake  the  work ;  at  least  not  to  the  extent  of 
employing  a  special  instructor. 

There  is  another  possible  objection.  In  the  smaller  schools,  and 
indeed  in  those  of  average  size  there  is  a  constant  tendency  to  increase 
the  number  of  classes  at  the  expense  of  their  size.  Now,  there  is  a 
very  real  disadvantage  to  the  student  in  being  in  a  class  that  is  too 
large;  there  is  a  disadvantage  no  less  real  in  the  class  that  is  too 
small.  The  principal  realizes  when  he  introduces  a  new  subject  that 
he  must  provide  an  adequate  class  in  that  subject.  The  special  instruc- 
tor feels  that  a  great  deal  depends  upon  this  factor,  and  wishes  to 
secure  the  best  class  possible.  The  other  classes  may  and  no  doubt 
sometimes  do  suffer  as  a  result.  These  may  seem  to  be  trivial  consid- 
erations ;  but  they  are  very  real  when  applied  to  the  average  case 
in  point. 

AGRICULTURE  IN  THE  HIGH  SCHOOL  CURRICULUM. 

Many  people  question  with  earnestness  and  sincerity  the  wisdom 
of  introducing  agriculture  into  the  schools  in  any  form.  They  point 
out  that  the  demand  for  it  is  expressed  by  comparatively  few  people, 
while  the  great  majority  are,  for  the  most  part,  indifferent.  And  they 
are  right.  There  is  no  virtue  in  introducing  a  subject  because  it  is 
new,  or  because  it  appeals  for  the  time  being  to  a  limited  class  of 
people. 

But  the  question  is  vastly  larger  than  that.     Reduced  to  ultimate 


22 

terms,  it  deals  with  the  very  foundations  of  the  educational  system. 
Briefly,  the  main  point  is  this :  Has  the  educational  system  come  to 
its  fullness  of  stature,  or  is  it  still  in  a  process  of  evolution?  There 
can  of  course  be  but  one  answer.  The  problem  that  remains  is  to 
determine  what  direction  that  evolution  shall  take. 

The  unique  position  of  the  American  high  school  has  been  indicated 
so  often  and  discussed  so  ably  that  it  were  superfluous  for  me  to  call 
attention  to  it  here.  There  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  is  undergoing  a 
great  change.  It  is  in  the  midst  of  a  mutation  period.  It  served  for 
many  years  primarily  as  a  preparatory  school  for  the  university; 
only  recently  has  the  fact  been  generally  emphasized  that  its  real  duty 
is  not  to  the  small  percentage  who  go  from  it  to  the  university,  but 
to  the  community  in  which  it  lives,  to  the  vastly  larger  proportion  of 
boys  and  girls  whose  education  will  cease  with  it.  The  university  is 
fully  cognizant  of  this  change  of  objective;  witness  the  recent  act  of 
Harvard  University  in  greatly  modifying  its  entrance  requirements; 
or  the  University  of  California,  in  the  liberal  allowance  of  credits  it 
makes  for  vocational  subjects. 

However,  the  high  school  is  not  destined  to  become  merely  a  train- 
ing school.  The  thinking  of  the  composite  citizen  is  not  always  in 
clearly  defined  terms,  but  this  same  composite  citizen  realizes  too 
deeply  the  beauty  and  the  efficacy  of  education,  to  permit  that.  The 
best  part  of  agriculture  is  not  always  the  agriculture,  nor  is  the 
dollar-sign  motive  the  only  one  that  arouses  and  sustains  the  student 's 
interest.  From  the  "practical"  questions — analysis  of  soils,  methods 
of  cultivation,  the  judging  and  breeding  of  animals,  and  the  chemistry 
of  fruits — from  these  "practical"  subjects  the  judicious  teacher  leads 
the  student  into  the  presence  of  those  eternal  laws  which  reveal  in  a 
moment  of  time  all  the  wonders  and  mysteries  of  the  formation  of 
worlds. 

There  is  yet  another  aspect.  An  education  must  be  more  than  a 
memory  process.  The  ability  to  pass  a  good  examination  is  not  the 
final  test  of  ability  to  face  the  problems  of  life.  Nor  is  a  well-trained 
mind,  important  as  that  may  be,  the  only  criterion  of  ultimate  success. 
The  processes  of  education  must  be  examined  by  a  standard  much 
higher  than  that.  If  the  present  system  absorbs  only  a  portion  of  the 
thought  and  interest  of  the  student ;  if  the  work  of  the  class  room  is 
in  many  cases  only  a  veneer,  which  will  ultimately  show  itself  as  such ; 
if,  in  the  final  summing  up,  the  student  is  often  poorer,  not  richer, 
as  a  result  of  his  days  in  the  high  school — then  it  is  time  to  consider  the 
matter  carefully,  and  cast  about  for  a  remedy.      The  whole  situation 


23 

must  be  faced  frankly,  with  open  mind.  There  are  many  factors  to  be 
considered.  But  some  loom  larger  than  others,  and  carry  especial 
weight. 

We  may  as  well  recognize  the  fact  that  the  high  school  student  is 
not  a  grown  man.  When  he  enters  he  is  a  trifle  over  fourteen,  some- 
times not  so  old.  He  has  just  awakened  into  a  new  world,  or  will 
soon  do  so.  The  problems  of  the  man  of  thirty  or  forty-five  are  not 
his  problems ;  the  educational  system  suited  to  the  scholar,  of  mature 
years,  engaged  in  the  work  of  original  research,  is  decidedly  not  suited 
to  him.  The  long  hours  spent  poring  over  books  are  storing  his  mind 
with  facts,  and  training  his  mind  in  the  formation  of  right  habits  of 
thinking;  but  they  are  not  helping  him  to  solve  the  problems  of  a 
newly  awakened  consciousness.  The  ability  to  demonstrate  a  proposi- 
tion in  geometry  will  be  of  service  in  all  his  work,  of  whatever  nature ; 
but  his  body,  as  well  as  his  mind,  calls  for  incessant  exercise ;  and  he 
will  not  be  rationally  developed  unless  that  exercise  be  given. 

I  do  not  know  what  future  is  in  store  for  agricultural  education 
in  the  secondary  schools  of  California.  I  know  that  it  will  not  stand 
still ;  I  know  it  cannot.  It  will  either  deteriorate,  and  soon  disappear 
altogether;  or  it  will  go  forward  and  become  an  agency  of  more  value 
than  its  most  ardent  supporters  at  present  dare  hope  for. 

The  California  high  schools  are  face  to  face  with  a  momentous 
situation.  Last  year  there  were  enrolled  throughout  the  state  a  total 
of  39,115  students.  Of  these,  18,424  were  freshmen  and  4,960  were 
seniors.  Only  one-fourth  of  those  who  enter  the  first  year  continue 
until  the  fourth  year. 

To  my  mind  I  saw  nothing  more  hopeful  in  all  the  schools  I  visited 
than  a  lath  house  at  Gardena  built  by  the  students  themselves.  The 
building  was  carefully  planned  before  any  work  was  performed.  Then 
student  foremen  were  selected,  who  familiarized  themselves  with  what 
was  to  be  done.  On  a  given  afternoon  all  the  students  were  put  at 
work,  under  the  direction  of  the  foremen,  and  the  building  was  soon 
completed.  These  students  have  accomplished  other  tasks  which  the 
school  needed  done,  thereby  learning  many  lessons  not  taught  in  the 
class  room.  Athletics  are  good  and  necessary.  But  many  contests 
would  not  teach  as  much  concerning  the  essential  dignity  of  all  labor, 
or  the  care  of  public  property,  as  did  the  work  involved  in  the  con- 
struction of  that  one  lath  house.  It  is  not  likely  that  there  will  be 
any  sudden  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  school  authorities  to  call  upon 
the  students  of  the  schools  to  construct  buildings  and  lay  out  walks  or 
do  any  other  work  which  at  the  present  time  is  performed  by  hired 


24 

laborers.  The  nature  of  the  work  and  the  personality  of  the  principal 
have  much  to  do  with  the  successful  carrying  out  of  such  under- 
takings. But  it  may  be  possible  that  in  the  not  distant  future  students 
will  recognize  that  the  manual  labor  involved  in  plowing  or  hoeing 
is  as  much  a  part  of  a  study  of  soil  texture  as  the  use  of  a  microscope 
or  a  crucible  in  the  laboratory.6 

The  problem  of  the  adolescent  is  not  an  easy  one  to  solve.  Certain 
it  is  that  no  solution  will  be  worked  out  in  a  month  or  a  year.  That 
character  is  of  infinitely  more  worth  than  any  other  product  of  educa- 
tion— that  all  others  are  indeed  by-products  only — is  a  fact  so  self- 
evident  as  to  be  axiomatic.  But  the  statement  of  the  fact  does  not 
carry  one  very  far  in  the  solution  of  the  problem.  I  believe,  however, 
that  the  introduction  of  agriculture  into  the  high  schools  is  a  step  in 
the  direction  of  final  solution.  To  use  a  figure,  the  mountain  peak  is 
visible,  and  a  portion  of  the  way  is  discernible.  The  question  remains, 
What  are  the  first  steps  to  be  taken  ? 

I  think  there  are  two.  The  first  deals  with  the  administrative 
unit.  For  the  successful  working  out  of  a  system  of  agricultural 
education,  the  present  high  school  district  is  too  small.  That  fact  is 
borne  out  by  the  best  experience  in  the  East  as  well  as  in  California. 
I  have  already  spoken  of  the  fine  work  being  done  by  the  high  school 
at  Bakersfield — a  county  school.  Very  few  schools  are  able  to  do 
with  great  effort  what  it  accomplishes  with  ease.  In  several  states  the 
difficulty  has  been  met  in  the  same  way.  In  Wisconsin,  agricultural 
high  schools  are  established  and  equipped  at  the  expense  of  the  several 
counties,  while  the  state  aids  each  to  the  extent  of  $4000.00  per  year, 
to  be  applied  to  the  running  expenses.  A  similar  provision  is  made 
in  the  laws  of  Michigan,  Oklahoma,  Arkansas,  Minnesota,  and  most  of 
the  southern  states;  though  of  course  the  details  of  administration 
differ.7 

Thus  far  the  State  Legislature  of  California  has  manifested  its 
interest  by  establishing  and  maintaining  two  state  schools — the  School 
of  Agriculture,  Mechanics  and  Household  Arts  at  San  Luis  Obispo, 
and  the  University  Farm  School  at  Davis.  Each  school  is  doing  first 
class  work;  but  it  is  obvious  that  these  alone  cannot  serve  the  whole 
state;  and  the  Legislature  must  either  continue  this  policy  and  estab- 
lish other  similar  institutions  throughout  the  state,  or  make  some  other 
provision  whereby  they  may  be  established  by  the  different  communi- 


e  See  Keport,  p.  44. 

i  See  pp.  20-26,  Cir.  No.  106,  O.  E.  S.,  U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agriculture. 


25 

ties  as  these  communities  so  desire.     It  seems  likely  that  the  latter 
policy  will  of  necessity  be  adopted.     When  that  is  done,  agricultural 
education  will  be  given  a  great  impetus  in  the  secondary  schools;  for 
the  most  serious  objections  will  thereby  have  been  removed.      [This 
should  not  be  construed  as  an  argument  against  small  high  schools 
introducing  agriculture  in  so  far  as  they  deem  practicable  or  correlat- 
ing their  science  work  therewith ;  nor  against  the  establishment  by  the 
state  of  one  or  two  more  special  agricultural  schools.     But  the  efforts 
of  the  smallest  high  schools  to  meet  the  demand  of  the  community, 
that  agriculture  be  taught,  are  frequently  pathetic  as  well  as  praise- 
worthy.    The  trouble  is  with  the  size  of  the  administrative  unit.     We 
have  too  many  high  schools  in  California.     There  is  no  justification 
for  attempting  to  maintain  complete  high  schools  in  two  villages  four 
miles  apart,  when  the  present  total  enrolment  is  only  seventy-five  and 
the  prospect  for  future  increase  only  ordinary.     One  strong  institu- 
tion, for  the  three  upper  grades  at  least,  will  always  be  able  to  serve 
both  communities  better  than  two  weak  schools  with  poor  facilities. 
Another  desirable  step  is  cooperation  between  nearby  schools  for  the 
purpose    of    teaching    agriculture.      With    present    means    of    rapid 
locomotion,   a  teacher  could  spend  half   of   each  school  day  in  two 
different  schools  situated  only  a  few  miles  apart.     This  would  be  very 
desirable  when  both  schools  could  provide  proper  equipment.    E.B.B.] 
The  second  step  concerns  the  University  of  California,  and  specifi- 
cally, the  College  of  Agriculture.     The  instructor  is  and  will  continue 
to  be  the  crux  of  the  whole  matter.     If  he  be  mediocre,  the  subject 
will  never  be  a  success.     If  he  lack  knowledge  of  agriculture,  he  will 
not  receive  the  cooperation  of  the  farming  community.    If  he  does  not 
possess  the  instinct  and  to  some  degree  at  least  the  training  of  a  teacher, 
he  will  not  have  the  cooperation  of  his  classes.     The  responsibility  of 
the  University  is  unmistakably  clear.     On  it  must  rest  the  duty  of 
preparing  not  only  well-equipped  agriculturists,  but  efficient  teachers 
as  well.    It  is  the  fountain  head  which  will  determine  the  character  of 
the  whole  stream. 

To  be  sure,  some  instructors  will  be  secured  from  other  states,  and 
some  will  go  directly  from  the  state  high  schools  already  mentioned. 
For  although  these  schools  (especially  the  one  at  Davis)  are  actually 
secondary  schools,  they  share,  in  many  important  particulars,  the 
point  of  view  of  the  University.  Still  other  teachers  will  secure  their 
training  in  the  normal  schools.  But  the  fact  remains  that  the  Univer- 
sity of  California  will  be  regarded  chiefly  as  the  source  of  supply.  In 
a  very  real  sense,  the  future  of  agricultural  education  in  the  secondary 


26 

schools  rests  with  the   College  of  Agriculture   of  the  University  of 
California. 

[The  favorable  attitude  of  the  University  of  California  toward  the 
development  of  public  school  agriculture  in  California  has  been 
mentioned  in  connection  with  the  high  school  phase.  The  Regents 
of  the  University  have  indicated  their  desire  to  foster  its  develop- 
ment by  the  appointment  of  three  instructors  in  Agricultural 
Education  in  three  successive  years  and  the  total  appropriation  to 
date  of  $5000  to  defray  the  cost  of  publication,  traveling  and  equip- 
ment. With  these  facts  in  mind  we  may  surely  conclude  that  the 
University  will  never  oppose  the  proper  development  of  agricultural 
instruction  in  the  school  system  of  the  state,  but  rather  that  it  will 
endeavor  to  do  its  share  in  directing  this  development  by  training 
teachers  and  furnishing  suggestions  or  advice  as  the  need  arises;  also 
that  it  will  continue  to  encourage  and  help  in  the  development  of 
secondary  education  in  all  its  phases  including  extension  in  scope  of 
work  both  downward  to  form  intermediate  high  schools  and  upward 
to  establish  continuation  courses.  Upward  extension  in  scope  of  the 
high  school  (often  referred  to  as  the  organization  of  the  junior  col- 
lege), should  not  aim  primarily  to  provide  courses  equivalent  to  all 
those  offered  in  the  first  two  years  at  the  University.  The  chief 
function  of  the  junior  college  must  be  as  much  to  extend  the  reach 
of  the  high  school  as  to  prepare  for  entrance  to  the  junior  class  at  a 
university.  The  subjects  offered  in  the  junior  college  should  be  of 
such  a  nature  that  they  may  be  utilized  for  a  final  or  finishing  course 
for  all  who  do  not  expect  to  attend  a  higher  institution.  Prominent 
among  these  should  be  the  vocational  subjects  represented  by  more 
advanced  studies  which  will  be  preceded  by  the  science  and  elemen- 
tary vocational  studies  of  the  regular  high  school  course.     E.  B.  B.] 

"The  subject  of  paramount  importance  in  our  correspondence  and 
in  the  hearings  is  education.  In  every  part  of  the  United  States  there 
seems  to  be  one  mind,  on  the  part  of  those  capable  of  judging,  on  the 
necessity  of  redirecting  the  rural  schools.  There  is  no  such  unanimity 
on  any  other  subject.  Everywhere  there  is  a  demand  that  education 
have  relation  to  living,  that  the  schools  should  express  the  daily  life, 
and  that  in  the  rural  districts  they  should  educate  by  means  of  agri- 
culture and  country  life  subjects.  It  is  recognized  that  all  difficulties 
resolve  themselves  in  the  end  into  a  question  of  education." — From 
Report  of  the  Roosevelt  Country  Life  Commission. 


27 


STATUS  OF  THE  COURSE  OF  STUDY. 

By  E.  B.  Babcock. 


In  order  to  summarize  that  portion  of  the  foregoing  discusson 
which  deals  with  curricula  and  subjects,  the  following  plans  for 
sequence  of  subjects  in  natural  sciences  and  agriculture  are  given. 
They  probably  indicate  present  general  practice  as  accurately  as  any 
condensed  statement  could  do. 


Grade.  Natural. Science. 

9  General  Science  or  Physical 

Geography. 

10  Botany  or  Biology. 

11  Chemistry. 


12 


Physics. 


Agriculture. 
(General  Agriculture).' 


Live  Stock,  one  or  two  semesters. 
Poultry,  one  or  two  semesters. 

Horticulture,  one  or  two  semesters. 
Dairying,  one  or  two  semesters. 

Soils  and  Farms  Crops 

or 
General  Agriculture   (Synthetic). 


It  should  be  noted  here  that  the  smaller  high  schools  will  not  be 
able  usually  to  offer  all  the  subjects  in  the  above  lists.  For  the 
average  school  the  following  selection  will  probably  be  most  satis- 
factory : 


Jrade. 

Natural  Science. 
General   Science 

or 

Agriculture. 
General  Agriculture.* 

10 

Botany  or 

Biology. 

11 

Chemistry. 

Horticulture  or  Dairying,  or  both. 

12 

Physics. 

Soils  and  Farm  Crops 

or 
General  Agriculture  includ.  Livestock, 

As  an  illustration  of  what  is  being  attempted  in  a  large  school 
which  is  part  of  the  system  of  a  great  city,  the  following  plan  is  of 
decided  interest : 


*  In  high  schools   receiving  grammar  school  graduates   who   have   not   studied 
agriculture. 


28 


PROPOSED    COURSE    IN    AGRICULTURE    AT    GARDENA 
AGRICULTURAL   HIGH   SCHOOL. 


First  Semester. 

First  Year —  Hours 

Botany    10 

Carpentry  and  Mech.  Drawing  10 

English    5 

Algebra  or  Practical  Arith 5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 

Second  Year — 

Zoology   10 

English    5 

Forge  or  Cabinet  Making  and 

Mechanical   Drawing 10 

Plant  Diseases  :  10 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 

Third  Year- 
Horticulture 10 

Poultry  Culture  2 

Farm  Accounts  3 

Chemistry  10 

English  or  Spanish  or  Latin, 
or  Geometry,  or  Stenography 

and  Typewriting,  or  History  5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 

Fourth  Year — 

Soils  and  Fertilizers  10 

Rural  Law  and  Economics  ....  5 

Civics  and  History   5 

Physics  or  English  or  Spanish 
or  Latin,  or  Geometry,  or 
Stenography  and  Typewrit- 
ing, or  History  5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 


Second  Semester. 

Hours 

Botany    10 

Carpentry  and  Mech.  Drawing  10 

English    5 

Algebra  or  Practical  Arith 5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 

Economic  Entomology  10 

English    5 

Forge  or  Cabinet  Making  and 
Mechanical  Drawing  10 

Landscape   Gardening   and 

Forestry    10 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 

Horticulture  10 

Dairying   10 

Chemistry  10 

English  or  Spanish  or  Latin, 
or  Geometry,  or  Stenography 
and  Typewriting,  or  History     5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 


Farm  Crops  and  Management  10 
Rural  Law  and  Economics  ....     5 

Civics  and  History   5 

Physics  or  English  or  Spanish 
or  Latin,  or  Geometry,  or 
Stenography  and  Typewrit- 
ing, or  History 5 

Music  or  Oral  English  2 


29 


REPORT     OF     AN     EXPERIMENT     IN     AGRICULTURAL 
EDUCATION  AT  OXNARD  UNION  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

By  HERBERT  LEE,  M.A.,  Principal. 


REASONS  FOR  THIS  REPORT. 

High  school  courses  in  agriculture  are  so  new  and  so  largely  there- 
fore in  the  experimental  stage,  that  it  seems  worth  while  to  make  a 
careful  record  of  what  has  been  done  here  in  Oxnard.  Our  expe- 
rience will  thus  be  available  for  purposes  of  comparison  and 
criticism.  Only  by  careful  critical  study,  much  experimentation,  and 
burning  enthusiasm,  can  the  teaching  of  agriculture  as  a  regular 
subject  in  the  high-school  curriculum  be  made  not  only  popular 
among  students  and  of  interest  to  their  parents,  but  effective  and 
practical  for  purposes  of  scientific  training,  information,  and  culture. 

THE  OXNARD  HIGH  SCHOOL  AND  ITS  AGRICULTURAL  DEPARTMENT. 

In  1909  the  Oxnard  Board  of  High  School  Trustees  decided  to  add 
a  department  of  agriculture  to  their  school.  Oxnard  is  a  progressive 
town,  the  fifth  largest  railroad  shipping  point  in  the  State  of  Cali- 
fornia, the  center  of  the  lima-bean  industry,  and  the  home  of  one  of 
the  largest  beet-sugar  factories  in  the  world. 

The  Oxnard  Union  High  School  District  in  the  County  of  Ventura 
embraces  eight  districts  with  a  total  assessed  valuation  exceeding 
$9,300,000.  The  high  school  trustees  therefore  felt  that  their  school 
should  emphasize  the  agricultural  side  and  they  also  felt  that  a  proper 
expenditure  of  money  to  organize  a  successful  department  would  be 
wise  and  would  meet  with  the  approval  of  the  patrons  of  the  district. 
They  therefore  negotiated  for  2%  acres  of  land  diagonally  across  from 
the  school  grounds,  and  secured  a  special  teacher  to  give  agricultural 
courses.  Mr.  Hummel  was  that  teacher,  but  he  only  stayed  one  year, 
for  he  was  asked  by  the  superintendent  of  Fresno  to  accept  a  position 
there.  The  principal  of  the  Oxnard  high  school  also  accepted  another 
position  at  the  close  of  that  year.  I  succeeded  him  and  secured  Mr. 
F.  H.  Bolster  as  teacher  of  agriculture  to  succeed  Mr.  Hummel. 


30 


THE  AGRICULTURAL  COURSES. 

When  I  took  charge  of  the  Oxnard  high  school  on  July  1,  1910,  it 
at  once  occurred  to  me  that  it  would  be  better,  at  least  for  a  year  or 
two,  to  teach  agriculture  in  connection  with  courses  denominated 
general  science  for  first-year  students  and  botany  for  second- 
year  students,  rather  than  arrange  courses  called  agronomy  or 
vegetable-gardening.  Many  students,  especially  girls,  were  attracted 
to  the  courses  of  general  science  and  botany,  who  would  have 
felt  that  courses  in  agronomy  and  vegetable-gardening  were  not 
what  they  wanted.  I  also  suggested  to  the  instructor  the  wisdom  of 
emphasizing  other  things  in  his  general  science  course  besides  agri- 
culture, and  he  has  given  his  students  several  weeks  very  practical 
training  in  simple  bacteriology,  besides  devoting  some  weeks  to  the 
subjects  commonly  taught  under  physical  geography.  Thus,  the 
identification  of  the  common  rocks  and  minerals,  the  work  of  lateral 
pressure  and  volcanic  action  in  building  up  and  of  erosion  in  tearing 
down  elevations  have  been  taken  up  during  the  year's  work.  At  the 
same  time,  after  the  class  had  become  thoroughly  interested  in  the 
experimental  character  of  the  course,  for  no  text-book  was  used,  the 
emphasis  was  placed  more  and  more  upon  the  soil  and  the  vegetable 
products  of  the  soil.  Many  experiments  were  performed  to  deter- 
mine the  porosity,  the  humus-content,  and  the  chemical  constituents  of 
soils ;  many  more  to  develop  the  meaning  of  capillarity  and  the  reason 
for  constant  cultivation  to  conserve  moisture.  The  whole  subject  of 
dry-farming,  so  important  in  many  parts  of  the  state,  was  thus 
brought  up.  "Everything  by  experiments  and  actual  observation, 
nothing  from  mere  say-so ' ' :  this  has  been  the  keynote  to  the  method 
throughout,  and  with  admirable  results. 

(For  the  courses  in  general  science  and  agricultural  botany  as  out- 
lined by  Instructor  F.  H.  Bolster,  see  pages  39  to  41  of  this  report.) 

PRACTICAL    AGRICULTURE    ON    THE    SCHOOL    FARM    AND    GROUNDS. 

In  the  fall  and  early  winter  outdoor  work  illustrative  of  the  class- 
room discussions  was  carried  out  on  the  school  grounds  and  in  the 
glasshouse.  As  soon  as  conditions  would  permit,  which  was  some  time 
in  January,  individual  gardens,  9  feet  by  34  feet,  were  allotted  to  the 
students  of  the  general  science  class.  These  gardens  are  situated 
on  the  school  farm  near  the  school,  and  are  so  arranged  that  they 
may  be  cultivated  and  irrigated  under  field  conditions.     The  students 


31 

of  the  botany  class  are  each  given  a  plot  on  the  same  farm  and  subject 
to  the  conditions.  Each  student  is  assigned  a  different  plant-family 
to  study  and  experiment  with,  and  selects  when  possible  about  equal 
numbers  of  species  of  flowers  and  vegetables.  In  addition  to  this  indi- 
vidual work,  the  class  grow  eucalyptus,  shade,  and  ornamental  trees  in 
a  lath-house,  raise  fruit  and  nut  trees  from  seed  and  perform  the  work 
of  budding  and  grafting.  Besides  all  this,  the  students  have  watched 
the  preparation  of  half  the  farm  for  seeding  of  alfalfa.  The  land 
was  leveled  by  means  of  a  Bostrom's  farm  level.  Panels  were  planted 
with  ridges  between.  Three  varieties  of  alfalfa  were  planted,  namely, 
common,  Arabian,  and  Turkestan.  Some  of  each  kind  was  inoculated. 
Finally  each  lot  was  sown  in  a  different  panel  and  each  was  carefully 
labeled. 

STUDENTS'    QUESTIONAIRES. 

All  this  work,  including  experiments  in  the  laboratory  and  field 
work  on  the  school  farm  and  grounds,  has  been  most  valuable.  It 
has  cultivated  close  observation  of  plant  and  animal  life.  It  has 
developed  reasoning  power  along  lines  of  value.  Moreover,  the  work 
is  interesting. 

To  find  out  just  what  the  students  thought  of  these  studies,  both  of 
the  general  science  and  the  botany,  I  made  out  sets  of  questions  for 
each  class  and  tabulated  the  replies.  These,  both  questions  and 
answers,  may  be  found  on  pages  35  to  38  of  this  report,  and  to  those 
interested  in  this  subject  they  will,  I  am  sure,  be  very  pleasant  read- 
ing. At  the  end  of  each  set  I  have  drawn  inferences  that  I  feel  are 
fully  justified. 

The  replies  of  the  students  are  peculiarly  gratifying  because  in 
many  respects  the  work  has  been  unnecessarily  difficult  and  arduous. 
The  school  farm  had  to  be  got  into  shape  and  considerable  preliminary 
work  done  both  on  the  farm  and  the  school  grounds.  Now  that  we 
have  our  land  fenced,  leveled,  irrigable  by  our  own  artesian  well  bored 
this  year,  and  in  excellent  cultivation,  the  work  of  future  classes  will 
prove  pleasanter  because  less  laborious. 

COST  OF  FARM  AND  EQUIPMENT. 

Our  farm  and  its  equipment  have  been  secured  at  very  reasonable 
expense.  (See  the  financial  statements  on  pages  33  to  35  of  this  report.) 
All  told,  we  have  spent  so  far  $3600  for  permanent  equipment  for 
teaching  agriculture  outdoors  in  connection  with  courses  in  general 
science  and  botany.     This  includes  $2474.45  for  2%   acres  of  land 


32 

within  the  Oxnard  city  limits.  An  artesian  well  has  been  bored  on  the 
farm  and  capped  for  irrigation  purposes.  It  gives  an  abundant  now  of 
water  and  is  considered  one  of  the  very  best  wells  in  Ventura  County. 
It  cost  in  all  $517.  Fencing  the  farm  with  "American"  wire  fence, 
together  with  two  double  16-foot  gates  and  one  single  4-foot  gate,  cost 
in  all  for  labor  and  material  $231.66.  This  included  the  fencing  of  a 
pen,  80  feet  by  100  feet,  where  a  patch  of  morning-glory,  the  pest  of 
this  district,  is  located  and  which  is  to  be  experimented  with  and  kept 
from  spreading  further  and  finally  destroyed.  Other  improvements 
brought  the  total  to  $3600.  A  detailed  statement  of  all  expenses  in- 
cluded in  this  sum  is  given  on  pages  34  and  35  of  this  report,  and 
this  detailed  account  has  been  condensed  for  greater  convenience  on 
page  33. 

In  addition  to  this  expenditure  of  $3600  for  permanent  equip- 
ment, we  have  spent  $84.16  for  running  expenses,  which  might  be 
comprised  under  two  heads,  labor  and  supplies.     (See  page  34.) 

Further,  a  practical  botanical  laboratory  with  seed  cabinet,  labora- 
tory tables,  microscopes,  library,  relief  maps,  instrument  sets,  etc.,  has. 
been  equipped  for  $633.58.  (See  page  34.) 

COMPARATIVE  ENROLMENT  AND  EXPENSE. 

The  questions  are  sometimes  asked :  How  many  are  taking  this, 
course  ?  and  Is  the  expense  justified  ? 

I  have  taken  some  pains  to  answer  these  questions  fairly.  Agricul- 
ture is  a  new  subject  and  one  must  be  careful  to  distinguish  between 
permanent  equipment  and  running  expenses.  For  purposes  of  com- 
parison, we  must  not  confuse  them.  The  statistics  on  page  —  answer 
the  question  of  expense ;  those  on  page  — ,  the  question  of  enrolment.. 
The  tables  speak  for  themselves;  little  comment  is  necessary.  Suffice 
it  to  say  that  thirty-six  out  of  a  total  of  ninty-four  students,  or  38%: 
per  cent  of  the  whole  school  have  been  enrolled  for  either  general 
science  or  botany,  the  courses  that  include  work  in  agriculture,  and 
that,  at  least  in  our  school,  general  science  and  agricultural  botany 
cost  less  than  half  per  student  what  chemistry  and  physics  cost  (count- 
ing running  expenses  only). 

STRONG    DEMAND   FOR    TEACHERS   OF    AGRICULTURE. 

So  strong  is  the  demand  for  good  teachers  of  agriculture,  that  it 
is  difficult  for  a  small  instituton  to  keep  one  long.  Mr.  Hummel  stayed', 
here  only  one  year  and  then  accepted — what  he  considered  promotion — 


33 

a  position  in  the  school  department  of  Fresno.  Mr.  Bolster,  after  being 
with  ns  only  one  year,  is  leaving  to  take  up  work  on  the  staff  of  the 
University  Farm  School  at  Davis,  but  we  hope  that  we  have  found  an 
able  successor  to  him  in  Mr.  J.  E.  Gore,  who  comes  to  us  strongly 
recommended  by  the  authorities  of  our  State  University. 

ENCOURAGING    FEATURES. 

The  community's  liberal  support,  the  trustees'  hearty  cooperation, 
the  conscientious  teacher's  expert  services,  the  students'  interested  at- 
tention— these  are  things  that  have  made  our  agricultural  experiment 
so  far  successful.  The  coming  of  the  Demonstration  Train,  the  visits 
of  professors  from  the  State  University,  the  wide  interest  manifested 
in  our  work  as  shown  by  letters  received  from  many  teachers  and  other 
officials — these  things  have  stimulated  us  to  persevere  and  do  our  best. 
That  this  report  may  help  on  the  cause  of  education  along  the  lines  of 
scientific  agriculture  is  the  hope  of  the  writer. 

EXPENSE    (CONDENSED)    INCURRED   UP    TO   MAY   1,    1911. 

For  Permanent  Equipment  for  Teaching  Agriculture  in  Connection  with  Courses 
in  General  Science  and  Botany. 

2%    acres   land    $2,474.45 

Well   on   same   517.00 

Fencing   same    231.46 

Leveling    same    118.00 

Buildings  on  same: 

1.  Glass  house  (approximate)   $200.00 

2.  Tool-house    moved    5.00 

3.  Mushroom    house 28.32 

4.  Lath-house    8.00 

241.32 

Tools,  farm  level,  etc 101.60 

Seeds,   plants,   etc 41.32 

Piping  from  well  to  pen  (estimated)  20.60 

Manure  for  gardens,  nursery  stock,  etc 35.25 

Plowing  and  harrowing  in  alfalfa  9.00 

$3,790.00 

N.  B.  All  of  this  except  $810  was  spent  this  year.  The  school  board  of 
January,  1909,  however,  by  contracting  to  purchase  the  land  for  $2,474.45  prac- 
tically added  this  department  to  the  school.  The  present  administration  had 
either  to  go  back  on  this  step  or  go  ahead  and  make  arrangements  to  improve 
the  land  purchased,  and  make  it  serve  the  purposes  of  education.  They  did  the 
latter. 


34 


ADDITIONAL   PERMANENT   INDOOR   EQUIPMENT    FOR    TEACHING 
GENERAL  SCIENCE  AND  BOTANY. 

Before  July        1,  1910— Library    $  40.00 

Dec.      15,  1910— Botany  Laboratory  410.00 

Feb.     24,  1911—12  instrument  sets  10.50 

Feb.     24,  1910—2  relief  maps  30.00 

April    20,  1911_n   microscopes   67.43 

Jan.      17,  1911 — Dishes,  pans,  etc 20.00 

July       1,  1910,  to  July  1,  1911— Library  50.00 

April      4,  1911 — 1  gross  vails   (Bacteriology)    1.70 

April    20,  1911 — Printed  herbarium  materials  $1.75 

Card  index   2.00 

3.75 


$633.38 


RUNNING    EXPENSES    FOR    AGRICULTURAL    WORK    IN    CONNECTION 
WITH  GENERAL  SCIENCE  AND  BOTANY. 

Seeds,  plants,   etc $35.10 

Dishes,  pans,  etc 10.46 

Herbarium  slips  and  cards  5.25 

Chemical    supplies 15.45 

Biology    supplies    2.15 

Day  labor  : 18.75 


$84.16 


EXPENSE   (IN  DETAIL)  INCURRED  UP  TO  MAY  1,  1911. 

For  Permanent  Equipment  for  Teaching  Agriculture  in  Connection  with  Courses 

in  General  Science  and  Botany. 

Before  July  1,  1910. 

First  payment  on  school  farm  $800.00 

1    cultivator 10.00 

$    810.00 

From  July  1,  1910,  to  May  1,  1911. 

Final  payment  on  land  and  $1  for  deed $1,674.45 

Well  (a)  boring  and  piping  $399.25 

(b)  fixtures  for  same  7.75 

(c)  capping  well  and  fixtures 110.00 

517.00 

One  Bostrom 's  farm  level  15.00 

Labor  on  mushroom  house  $17.50 

Lumber  for  mushroom  house  10.82 

28.32 

Manure  hauled  on  farm  32.25 

Leveling   Farm. 
Labor    118.00 


35 


Fencing 


Posts  and  braces  

Fence,  $81.52  and  $5.60 

Labor  

Posts    


Plants,  Seeds,  etc. 


Plants,  seeds  . 
Plants,  seeds 
Alfalfa  seed  . 


$56.67 
87.12 
58.25 
29.42 


$11.97 
15.75 
13.60 


For  tools  and  other  equipments  

For  moving  tool-house  

Plowing  and  harrowing  in  alfalfa  ... 

Lath   house    

Piping  from  well  to  pen  (estimated) 


ENROLMENT  TO  SHOW  PERCENTAGE  DROPPED. 

Subject                           Enrolment   ' 
Typewriting    44 

Bookkeeping    18 

Shorthand   9 

Freehand  ^  20 

Drawing   ] 


Mechanical  £  q 

Drawing       $  

General  ^ 

Science  $ 


20 


ipped 
.0 

Percentage 

22% 

Reasons 
\  1  too  busy. 
\  8  left  school. 
[  1  forbidden. 

4 

22 

4  left  school. 

4 

44 

4  left  school. 

2 

10 

2  left  school. 

2 

22 

2  left  school. 

4 

20 

[  1  left  school. 
\  1  incapable. 
I  2  dissatisfied. 

231.46 


41.32 

86.60 
5.00 
9.00 
8.00 

20.00 

$3,600.00 


25 


Botany    16  4 

Physics   8  2 

STUDENTS'   OPINIONS   OF   THE   GENERAL   SCIENCE   COURSE. 


5  3  left  school. 

£  1  too  much  other  work. 

unable  to  do  the  work. 


In  order  to  get  at  what  the  students  who  are  taking  this  course 
think  of  it,  I  made  out  a  set  of  questions  and  asked  for  candid  answers 
to  be  written  out.  The  students  knew  the  present  teacher  was  leaving 
for  a  university  position  and  answered  quite  frankly. 

The  questions  with  the  answers  collected  and  condensed  are  given 
below.  The  original  papers  are  on  file  in  my  office  and  are  interesting 
reading. 

Question  I :  What  part  of  the  course  in  general  science  do  you 
like  best? 

Number  who  preferred  gardening  work  8 


36 


Number  who  preferred  inside  experiments  

Those  liking  it  all  (see  quoted  answers  below 


14 


"I  like  the  whole  course." — Henry  Abplanalp. 

"There  is  not  anything  I  have  had  in  general  science  so  far  that 
I  did  not  care  for.  It  gives  a  touch  or  insight  to  do  many  things. 
I  think  it  is  all  beneficial." — Edna  Nichols. 

"I  like  the  inside  (work)  and  outside  both." — Mitford  Crinklaw. 

"I  like  it  divided  indoors  and  outdoors  the  way  it  is." — Hazel 
Milligan. 

"I  like  any  part  of  general  science." — Lila  Pederson. 

Question  II :  Do  you  think  the  outside  work  in  gardening  helps 
you  to  understand  the  subject  better? 
13  answered  "Yes." 
1  answered  "Not  sure,  but  liked  it  very  much." 

Question  III :  Would  you  recommend  your  friends  to  take  this 
course?    Why? 

7  answered  "Yes." 

1  answered  "No." 

3  answered  All  depends  on  what  they  care  for. 

1  answered  It  depends  on  what  their  career  is  to  be. 

1  answered  I  wouldn't  advise.     People  are  so  uncertain   in 

their  likes  and  dislikes. 
1  did  not  answer  this  question. 

14 

The  following  four  answers  are  quoted  in  full : 

' '  I  would  recommend  them  to  take  the  course,  for  it  is  a  very  good 
course  for  every  person  to  know." — George  H.  Lodwig. 

"Yes,  because  it  is  so  interesting." — Lila  Pederson. 

"I  would.  It  gives  one  a  chance  to  feel  in  all  directions  for  what 
he  wants." — Edna  Nichols. 

"Yes,  because  you  can  learn  a  great  deal  about  things  which  come 
up  in  every  day  life." — Mattie  Vickers. 

Question  IV :  Do  you  wish  to  take  up  botany  next  year  with  more 
work  in  gardening,  and  learn  to  graft  and  bud  trees,  and  study  plant 
life  more  deeply? 

5  boys  and  4  girls  answered  Yes. 

1  undecided. 

1  (girl)   No. 

2  No,  because  graduating.      (One  would  take  it,  if  she  were 

going  to  come  back). 


37 

1  No,  because  I  must  take  mathematics  and  drawing  for  my 

engineering  course. 

14 

Question  V :  If  you  took  up  botany  next  year,  would  you  rather 
I  work  indoors  all  the  time? 

13  answered  "No." 
1,  who  is  graduating,  did  not  answer  the  question. 

FAIR  INFERENCES   FROM  THE  ABOVE   ANSWERS. 

1.  The  work  in  general  science  has  been  both  pleasant  and  profit- 
able according  to  the  students  themselves — and  that  is  saying  much. 
The  fact  that  most  of  them  wanted  to  continue  the  subject  next  year 
is  good  evidence  of  this. 

2.  The  agricultural  work  outdoors  is  evidently  a  valuable  feature 
of  this  work. 

STUDENTS'  OPINIONS  OF  THE  BOTANY  COURSE. 

Question  I :  What  part  of  the  course  have  you  liked  best  ? 
6  answered  The  garden  work. 

2  answered  Grafting  and  budding. 

1  answered  The  analyzing  of  flowers. 
1  answered  The  indoor  experiments. 

10 

Question  II :  Has  the  study  added  to  your  interest  in  plants  and 
flowers  ? 

All  answered  "Yes." 

Note  the  following  answers: 

"Yes,  my  interest  as  well  as  one  or  two  members  of  my  family.  I 
have  a  nice  little  plot  laid  out  at  home  planted  with  vegetables  from 
the  (school)  greenhouse." — Josephine  Morris. 

"Yes,  and  I  have  started  to  work  in  my  home  garden." — Anna 
Horsley. 

Question  III :  Would  you  care  for  any  more  work  of  this  kind 
I  next  year? 

(N.  B. — This  was  the  second  year's  work  in  science  dealing 
largely  with  agriculture  and  in  a  school  where  nearly  all  the  common 
high-school  subjects  are  taught  with  a  good  equipment  by  good 
teachers.  Negative  answers  therefore  do  not  necessarily  mean  that 
the  students  dislike  the  work). 
6  answered  "Yes." 


38 
4  answered  "No." 

10 

Question  IV :   Can  you  make   any  suggestions   for  making  this 
course  better  for  the  students  who  may  take  it  next  year? 
9  answered  "No." 

1  answered  as  given  below : 

"I  think  it  would  be  more  interesting  to  have  more  experiments 
with  flowers  and  more  outside  work." — Anna  Horsley,  average  mark 
95  per  cent. 

Qtestion  V:  Do  you  think  the  students  could  learn  as  much  with- 
out the  gardens? 

7  answered  "No." 

2  answered  "Yes." 

1  answered  "Yes,  in  a  modified  way."     (See  below). 

The  following  answers  are  interesting : 

(Negative)  "No,  I  believe  the  garden  work  is  quite  essential  for  it 
fastens  an  interest  in  garden  work  and  plant  life.  "—Josephine  Morris. 

(Answer  qualified)  "Yes,  but  the  garden  work  makes  it  more  in- 
teresting. ' ' — Myrtle  Wheldon. 

Question  VI :  Would  you  rather  do  more  work  indoors  with  the 
microscopes  and  classification  of  flowers  and  less  outside  work"? 

8  answered  ' '  More  outside  work. ' ' 

1   (a  Japanese)  preferred  the  inside  work. 
1  likes  both  kinds  equally. 

Note. — The  boy  who  answered  question  V  in  the  negative,  that  is, 
that  they  could  do  just  as  well  without  the  gardens,  answered  "No" 
to  this  question  6 ;  the  girl  who  said  "  No "  to  question  V,  said,  in 
answering  question  VI :  "  I  would  rather  work  outside,  provided  we 
aren  't  given  men 's  work  to  do. ' ' 

FAIR  INFERENCES  FROM  THE  ABOVE  ANSWERS. 

1.  The  garden  work  outdoors  is  a  valuable  feature  of  the  wrork. 

2.  The  study  has  led  to  a  greater  interest  in  plant  life  and  this 
interest  has  in  some  cases  shown  itself  in  the  cultivation  of  gardens 
at  home. 

3.  The  work  on  the  whole  has  been  both  pleasant  and  profitable 
to  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  class. 

SUGGESTIONS  BY  THE  INSTRUCTOR,  MR.  F.  H.  BOLSTER, 
To  properly  care  for  grounds,  etc.,  more  labor  is  needed  than  the 
janitor  can  give  and  than  classes  should  give.     Classes  should  have 


39 

about  three  days  of  laboratory  work  to  two  days  of  work  outside. 
The  outdoor  work  should  never  be  more  than  the  inside  work.  The 
teacher  can  not  catch  up  all  the  extras.  If  he  does  the  work  of  a  day 
laborer  outside,  he  will  teach  inside  like  a  day-laborer,  because  too 
much  physical  labor  makes  study  at  night  impossible,  and  a  teacher 
can  not  do  the  best  work  without  constant  study. 

Glass-house  needs  glass,  wire  on  top,  and  heating  provided  for. 
A  Petaluma  brooder  heater  will  do.  Bulletin  list  needs  to  be  made 
more  complete  and  to  be  made  more  easily  available.  Lath-house 
should  be  built  using  materials  now  on  hand  plus  some  more.  Wall- 
cabinet  of  plant  diseases,  insects,  etc.,  would  be  a  fine  addition  to 
equipment.  A  microscope  cabinet  is  needed.  A  cabinet  for  school 
herbarium  needed  if  new  man  does  work  in  systematic  botany.  My 
idea  was  to  make  a  school  herbarium  of  weeds  and  economic  plants 
of  this  section. 

SCOPE    OF   THE    WORK. 

In  the  following  pages  the  work  is  very  briefly  outlined. 

General  science  is  a  course  intended  primarily  for  freshmen  stu- 
dents. No  text-book  has  been  used.  The  work  has  been  carried  on 
mainly  by  experiments  and  discussion  arising  therefrom. 

Agricultural  botany  is  intended  primarily  for  second-year  students. 

OUTLINE  OP  COURSE  IN  GENERAL  SCIENCE. 

The  aim  of  this  course  is  to  teach  the  pupil  by  simple  experiments 
how  to  draw  correct  conclusions  from  facts  and  to  give  a  knowledge 
of  the  more  important  phenomena  of  every  day  life,  particularly  of 
the  farm. 

Some  of  the  more  common  chemical  elements  are  studied  and  a 
few  simple  compounds.  This  leads  to  elements  necessary  to  plant 
food,  tests  for  proteids,  sugars,  starches,  fats,  and  the  classification 
of  vegetable  products  as  to  food  content.  In  addition  are  studied 
conditions  necessary  for  the  germination  of  the  seed  and  growth  of 
the  plant,  such  as  heat,  air  in  the  soil,  and  the  per  cent  of  air  space 
which  should  be  filled  with  water ;  some  common  insects  and  the  use 
of  emulsions  and  spraying  mixtures  on  plants ;  minerals  and  the  for- 
mation and  transportation  of  soil;  capillarity  as  related  to  irrigation, 
retention  of  moisture,  cultivation,  aeration  of  soil,  and  the  control  of 
alkali;  and  bacteria  in  relation  to  the  dairy,  to  nature's  food  cycle, 
and  to  disease. 

Practical  exercises  are  given  in  the  rooting  of  cuttings,  transplant- 


40 

ing,  seed  testing,  drawing  of  plans  for  the  beautifying  of  grounds, 
ordering  seeds  and  plants,  garden  work  and  the  care  of  tools. 

During  the  second  half-year  on  the  individual  garden  plots  the 
pupils  grow  vegetables  and  flowers  which  they  irrigate  and  cultivate 
themselves,  and  in  the  care  of  which  they  put  into  practice  some  of 
the  knowledge  gained  from  laboratory  experiments. 

Careful  preparation  of  note  book  is  required.  Each  experiment 
is  discussed  thoroughly  in  class  and  the  application  either  drawn  from 
the  pupils  by  question  or  given  in  a  talk  by  the  instructor. 

Each  pupil  collects  a  private  library  of  state  and  government  bul- 
letins and  nursery  catalogues  which  contain  information  relating  to 
the  cultivation  of  plants  of  his  or  her  garden  and  prepares  papers  on 
the  cultivation  of  the  various  plants. 

They  also  make  a  collection  for  the  school  of  insects  and  other 
pests  or  anything  of  an  educational  nature  along  the  line  of 
agriculture. 

OUTLINE  OF  COURSE   IN  AGRICULTURAL   BOTANY. 
Texts — Experiments   with   Plants — Osterhout. 

Flora  of  Los  Angeles  and  Vicinity — Abrams. 

First  half-year  practical  experiments  chosen  from  Osterhout. 
Many  of  these  are  performed  by  all  the  class,  but  most  are  special 
experiments  performed  by  individuals.  Whenever  a  practical  experi- 
ment is  suggested  substitution  of  such  experiments  is  often  made, 
but  the  attempt  is  made  to  perform  about  one-third  of  the  experi- 
ments of  each  chapter  of  Osterhout. 

After  any  experiment  is  completed  it  is  discussed  fully  in  class 
and  its  relation  to  daily  life,  especially  its  bearing  on  agriculture  is 
pointed  out.  Great  emphasis  is  placed  on  this  practical  application 
of  the  experiment. 

During  the  fall  the  class  has  the  setting  of  bulbs  on  the  grounds 
and  general  care  of  them  and  other  plants.  They  also  grow  tender 
plants  in  hot-bed  and  greenhouse  in  preparation  for  garden  work.  A 
mushroom  house  is  used  and  experiments  carried  on  in  the  culture  and 
study  of  mushrooms. 

The  second  half-year  is  spent  on  school  gardens  and  on  systematic 
botany.  The  individual  plots  are  12  feet  by  34  feet,  arranged  so  that 
they  may  be  cultivated  and  irrigated  under  field  conditions. 

Each  individual  garden  plot  represents  the  plants  of  a  different 
plant  family,  the  aim  being  to  choose  from  the  families  representing 
an  equal  number  of  species  of  flowers  and  vegetables,  though  this  is 


41 


not  always  possible.  The  families  represented  this  year  on  the  garden 
plots  are  Grass,  Mustard,  Legume,  Composite,  Parsley,  Gourd,  Night- 
shade, Mint,  Pink  and  Poppy.  Each  pupil  gathers  a  private  library 
which  consists  of  state  and  government  bulletins  and  the  catalogues 
of  nurserymen  which  relate  in  any  way  to  the  cultivation  of  any  of 
the  plants  of  his  or  her  family,  and  prepares  papers  on  the  plants 
with  the  help  of  this  information  and  of  the  library  of  the  agricul- 
ture department. 

The  class  grow  eucalyptus,  shade  and  ornamental  trees  in  a  lath 
house,  raise  fruit  and  nut  trees  from  seed  and  perform  the  work  of 
budding  and  grafting. 

They  also  carry  on  experiments  in  hybridizing,  the  special  plant 
for  this  work  being  the  guava.  Seeds  of  this  fruit  for  the  work  have 
been  imported  from  an  interior  province  of  high  elevation  in  the 
Philippines.  The  fruits  of  this  guava  measure  nine  inches  in  circum- 
ference. The  parent  plants  were  twenty-five  feet  in  height  and  four 
to  six  inches  in  diameter. 

The  pupils  collect  and  describe  a  certain  number  of  plants  for 
their  individual  herbaria,  and  also  collect  a  school  herbarium  of 
economic  plants,  weeds  and  fungi. 

Two  things  are  aimed  at  and  kept  constantly  in  mind  throughout 
this  course  in  agricultural  botany — to  make  botanical  work  teach  agri- 
culture, and  to  make  the  agricultural  work  teach  botanv. 


ESTIMATED  COST  PER  STUDENT  PER  SUBJECT. 

Running 

Expense 

paid  by 

School 


Fraction 
of  day 


Subject 
Freehand  drawing,) 

first  year  ( 

Freehand  drawing, ) 

second  year  ( 

Mechanical  drawing  ) 
first  and  scond  year  C 

General   science   

Botany     

Chemistry    2/7 

Physics    2/7 


1/7 

V7 

1/7 

2/7 
2/7 


Salary 
Cost 

$214.00 
214.00 

214.00 

428.00 
428.00 
428.00 
428.00 


Total 

Students 

Enrolled 


L2 


20 
16 

7 
6 


Salary 

Cost 

per 

Srudent 


$27.00 
18.00 

24.00 

21.40 
26.80 
61.00 
*71.00 


per 

Student 


!  6.00 

6.00 

15.00 

10.00 


Same 

paid 

by 


$     .50 


.50 


14.00^ 


3.00 
1.50 
1.60 


Total 

Expense 

per 


Student      Student 


$27.50 
18.50 

29.00 

27.40 
35.80 
77.50 
82.60 


*  $14.00 — student's    permanent    equipment    of    mechanical    instruments, 
wear  and  tear  each  year. 


Reckon    $2.00 


42 


PRODUCE   RAISED   ON  SCHOOL   GARDENS   AS   ESTIMATED   BY 

PUPILS. 

(Lettuce    estimated    in  heads,    all    other  vegetables    in    bunches.) 
First-Year  Gardens. 

Name                     Beets  Carrots          Onions  Turnips        Radishes  Lettuce 

Henry   Abplanalp   19  14                  2  12  16  9 

Ma  R0We            I  12  7                  3  6  6  28 

Mattie  Vickers  ( 

Edna  Nichols  1  1()  9                5  5  6  30 

Pearl  Lamb      ( 

Lila   Pedersen   9  9                  1  1  16  7 

Herbert    Cohn    0  10                10  12  30  20 

Diamond  Prentiss  3  0                  6  7  20  18 

Hazel   Milligan   8  3                  2  6  25  15 

John  Gastl  20  12                  5  10  15  16 

Mitford  Crinklaw  20  12                  5  12  15  20 

Nellie   Donlon    10  10                20  5  20  20 

Chas.    Aggen    0  0                  4  2  36  0 

Albert   Pratt    4  4                10  4  50  4 

Mabel    Grain    9  22                  6  3  16  18 

George  Lodwig   8  11                  5  11  50  13 

Total 128  123                87  96  321  218 

Other  Vegetables   Than  Above, 

f  Cabbage  Cauliflower          Parsnips  Kale  Collards 

Lila    and    Mabel  J     Heads  Heads               Bunches           Bunches  Bunches 

12  3  9  5                        5 


Most  of  the  vegetables  mentioned  above  were  taken  home  by 
pupils  and  used,  therefore  saving  the  family  the  price  they  would 
have  paid  the  vegetable  man. 

Allowing  five  cents  per  bunch  and  three  heads  of  lettuce  for  a 
nickel,  also  counting  cabbage  five  cents,  cauliflower  ten  cents,  par- 
snips nine  bunches,  and  kale  and  collards  together  five  bunches,  the 
total  amounts  to : 

828  X-05 +.85  =  $42.25 
The  amount  of  space  devoted  to  vegetables  on  first  year  gardens, 
including  three-foot  paths  between  each  nine-foot  garden,  is : 

18  X  14  X  12  =  3024  square  feet 
Add   5-foot   strip   for   path  —168  X  5  =    840 


Total   : 3864  square  feet 

Number  of  square  feet  in  acre  =  43560 ; 

3864/43560  =  1/11.27  acres. 
At    this    rate    the    vegetable    gardens    produced    for    the    pupils 
11.27  X  $42.25  =  $476.15  per  acre~ 


43 


The  flower  gardens  are  not  reckoned  in  because  there  is  no  way  of 
getting-  at  their  value.  As  a  rule  the  flowers  are  better  than  the 
vegetables. 

I  believe  the  pupils  followed  instructions  to  underestimate  rather 
than  over  estimate,  with  not  more  than  one  exception.  Dividing  the 
above  figures  by  two  we  still  have  a  fair  profit  per  acre  aside  from  the 
value  of  instruction. 

Of  the  3864  square  feet  on  which  produce  is  reckoned  756  square 
feet  plus  840  square  feet  =  1596  square  feet,  or  nearly  one-half  is 
path. 

Nine  of  the  above  first-year  pupils  have  asked  for  the  privilege 
of  caring  for  their  gardens  during  the  summer. 


fc 


BOTANY    GARDENS. 
June,   1911. 

heads         heads 
Lettuce     Endive 


hills 
Artichoke 


bunches 
Salsifv 


Edna    Pitts    .... 
Ruth    Crinklaw 


Elsie  Mevers. 


Mustard 
25c 

Radishes 
18 


25 

24 

Kale 

2 

Turnips 
9 


Cabbage 
1 

Rutabaga 
6 


Cauliflower 
9  +  radishes 


Seisuke 


Squashes. 

Summer  Crookneck     Scallop 
15  15 


Kohl-rabi 
9 

Hubbard 

2 


Aaron    Ely- 


Coriander 

.       50c 


Dil 
6 


Parsnip     Celery     Carrot     Parsley 
9  6  9  50 


.85 
1.50 

1.20 

.75 

2.25 

$7.80 


Condition  of  Botany  Gardens. 
Varieties 

Family  Good 

Cucurbitaceae — squash    18 

Labiatae — mint    2 

Caryophyllaceae — pink  14 

Leguminosae — legume    6 

Solanaceae — nightshade  8 

Solanaceae — nightshade 8 

Papaveraceae — poppy  7 

Cruciferae — mustard    12 

Compositae — sunflower    13 

Compositae — sunflower    12 

Umbelliferae — parsley    8 

Papaveraceae — poppy  9 

Total 117 


Varieties 
Poor 


1 
3 
2 

33 


u 


GENERAL    FARM    EXPERIMENTS. 

It  is  the  idea  of  the  agricultural  department  of  the  Oxnard  High 
School  that  experiments  should  be  performed  for  the  benefit  of  the 
community — that  here  should  be  tried  out  ideas  new  and  old  on  the 
ground  that  if  the  ideas  are  poor  ones  it  is  better  for  one  to  make  a 
failure  than  many,  and  if  they  are  good  ideas  progress  in  the  com- 
munity along  new  lines  may  not  be  delayed  by  the  natural  conserva- 
tiveness  of  a  farming  community. 

Oxnard  is  the  center  of  one  of  the  richest  agricultural  regions  in 
California.  In  Oxnard  is  located  the  largest  beet  sugar  factory  in 
the  world,  and  the  county  controls  the  lima  bean  industry  of  the  world. 
Obviously  the  first  duty  of  the  agricultural  department  in  its  general 
experiments  is  along  the  line  of  beets  and  beans. 

Briefly  stated  the  experiments  as  outlined  are  as  follows : 

Sugar  Beets — 

Experiments  with  beet  seed. 

Fertilization. 

Rotation. 

Time  of  planting. 

Lima  Beans — 

Early  planting  to  avoid  rains. 

Rotation. 

Special  studies. 

Grain — 
Control  of  smut. 

Alfalfa- 
Arabian      "I 

Turkestan  C  Inoculated  and  not  inoculated. 
Common 

Fertilizer  Test  Plots. 

Horticulture — 

Hybridizing  and  selection. 
Budding  and  grafting. 
Raising  of  mushrooms. 
New  introductions. 

Testing  of  varieties  and  kinds  of  fruits,  trees  and  small  fruits  best 
suited  to  the  locality. 


45 

Forestry — 
Eucalyptus. 
Shade  and  ornamental  trees. 

Miscellaneous — 

Alkali  resistent  plants. 

Collections — 

Fungous  pests. 
Insect  pests. 
Weed  pests. 
Economic  plants. 

[One  of  the  most  interesting  and  profitable  topics  for  observational 
study  by  secondary  school  students  is  that  of  variation  in  plants  and 
animals,  especially  when  it  is  made  a  basis  for  practical  work  in 
scoring,  judging,  or  breeding.  In  this  connection  the  book  by  Dean 
E.  Davenport  on  "Domesticated  Animals  and  Plants,"  and  recently 
published  by  Ginn  and  Company,  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  deserve 
special  notice.  It  should  be  found  in  every  high  school  library  and  a 
sufficient  number  of  copies  should  be  provided  to  insure  its  perusal 
by  each  student.  Teachers  should  read  the  author's  preface  thought- 
fully.   E.B.B.] 


46 


APPENDIX    A. 

LISTS  OF  EQUIPMENT  FOR  AGRICULTURAL   SCIENCES  AND  SPECIAL 

SUBJECTS. 

OXNARD  UNION  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

Equipment   for   General  Science  and  Agricultural  Botany. 

A.     Farm  Tools. 
14  budding   knives.  15  hoes. 

15  rakes — garden. 


1  cultivator   with   attachments. 


2  forks — hay. 

1  fork — manure. 

6  forks — spading. 

3  files— flat. 

1  farm  level — Bostrom  's. 

1  hatchet. 

10  bottles— 8   oz. 

12  beakers — 4  oz. 

24  bottles — 4    oz. 

18  bottles— 2    oz. 

4  bottles — tincture. 

1  clay  pipe. 

18  capillaries   2  mm. 
18  capillaries    1  mm. 

6  chimneys — student  lamp. 

5  flasks — boiling. 

8  funnels— small. 

9  jars — glass  fruit — 1  qt. 

2  jars — glass  fruit — 1  qt. 

2  double  boilers. 
2  custard  cups. 
4  lids — tin. 

7  milk  pans,  6-8  qts.,  deep. 
2  milk  pans,  8-6  qts.,  shallow 

D. 
2-lb.  agar — agar. 
h  lb.  corrosive  sublimate. 

1  lb.   cotton — absorbent. 

2  oz.  extract  beef. 

1   bottle  Farmogerm. 


3  shovels — round    pointed. 

2  spools  garden  twine. 

1  spray — pumping-lightning  insect. 
1  target  for  farm  level. 
14  trowels — garden. 

3  weeds — finder. 


plain — 2y2  x 


B.     Glassware. 

4 

doz.      plates — glass,      p 

2%. 

18 

tumblers — glass. 

2 

doz.  test  tubes. 

6 

doz.   vials — homeopathic. 

10 

window  panes,  7x9. 

1 

graduate  250  cc. 

4 

graduates  100  cc. 

10 

test  tube  holders. 

4 

bottles  for  milk  tester. 

1 

funnel  for  milk  tester. 

1 

pipette  for  milk  tester. 

C.     Enameled  Ware. 

1 

1-qt.   measure. 

7 

piepans,   shallow. 

7 

piepans. 

13 

saucepans,    shallow. 

2 

stewpans,  deep. 

Bacteriology  Supplies. 

1  box  Lactone. 
10  microscope  needles. 
24  petri  dishes. 

i  lb.  salicylic  acid. 

1  sterilizer,   steam    (wash  boiler), 


47 


1  compound  microscope. 

1-oz.  cover  glasses — 1  oz. 
12  dissecting  microscopes,  complete. 
11  instrument  sets. 

2J  doz.  microscope  slides. 

9  medicine  droppers. 

1  plant  press. 

1  razor  strop. 


Botanical  Materials. 

2 1  doz.  slides,  microscope. 
6  Sterns  droppers. 
10  watch  glasses. 

2  oz.  Canada  Balsam. 

3  oz.  Eosine. 
2  oz.  Xylol. 
1  bottle  Barley  Bust. 


F.     Chemicals. 


1  oz.  ammonium  oxalate  crystals.  1 
3  qts.  aqua  ammonia  concentrated. 

2  oz.    ammonia   oxalate   sat.    solution  J 
alphanapthol.  4 

3  lbs.  copper  sulphate.  1 
5  lbs.  copper  carbonate.  J 

4  lbs.  cane  sugar.  6 
J  oz.  copper  chloride.  J 
8  oz.  caustic  potash,  10%.  J 

oz.  grape  sugar.  \ 

qts.  hydrochloric  acid.  J 

oz.  iodine  solution.  J 

qts.  lime  water.  \ 

pt.  nitric  acid.  3 

oz.  potassium  ferro  cyanide — crys-  1 

tals.  3 
oz.  peroxide  of  hydrogen. 


!%. 


oz.    potassium    ferro    cyanide    solu- 
tion. 

doz.  litmus  sheets, 
crucibles, 
pkg.  filter  paper, 
oz.  phosphoric  acid, 
oz.  phosphoric  acid, 
lb.  Rochelle  Salts. 
lb.  rock  salt. 
lb.  sodium  sulphate, 
pkg.  shaker  salt, 
lb.  sodium  carbonate, 
lb.  soda — saleratus. 
lbs.  sulphur  flowers, 
oz.  starch, 
qts.  sulphuric  acid. 


G.     Miscellaneous. 


1 

ballance — spring — 30  lbs. 

3 
6 

balances — spring — 2000    g. 
Bunsen  burners. 

4 

brushes — test  tube. 

1 
1 

2 

bicycle   pump, 
tube  bicycle  cement, 
blocks  weights. 

3 

balances — Harvard. 

1 

Babcock  milk  tester. 

2 

doz.  corks — rubber. 

3 

doz.   corks — small. 

1 

doz.  clothes  pins. 

1 

1 

lb.  grafting  wax. 
hammer. 

2 

balls  knitting  cotton  No.  1 

1 

map  relief — United  States. 

1 

map  relief — California. 

1 

flower   chart. 

30 

minerals. 

meter  sticks. 

tape  measure,  100  ft.,  linen. 

tape  measure,  50  ft.,  linen. 

tape  measure,  steel,  50  ft. 

doz.   tags — 1-in.  square. 

lbs.   vaseline    (cheap). 

balls  waxed  string. 

spl.  wire — copper. 
1    set  Washington  school  collection 

minerals. 
1  cake  whale  oil  soap. 

pt.  formaldehyde. 

oz.  gum  arabic. 

lbs.   Paris  green. 

lb.  tobacco  dust. 

oil  cans. 
500  pot  labels,  4-in.,  painted. 
3  rolls  Passe  Partout. 
1  lb.  raffia. 


48 


4  ring  stands,  complete. 
10  ft.   rubber   tubing. 
1  sponge. 
1  globe. 
9  spoons — tea. 
4  spoons — large. 
4  sticks  sealing  wax. 
1  stencil   outfit   complete. 
7  sieves — varying  mesh. 
1  thermometer — centigrade. 
4  spls.  thread, 
i  lb.  tallow. 
1  pkg.  tacks,  No.  9. 
4  pkgs.  tacks,  No.  10. 


4  three-cornered  files. 
2  doz.  thimbles. 
1  vegetable  chart. 
1   whisk  broom. 
J  yd.  wire  gauze. 


i  lb. 

zinc  chips. 

4  lbs. 

beeswax. 

2  pts 

.  cider  (sweet). 

2  pts 

.  grape  juice. 

1   qt. 

linseed  oil. 

I  lb. 

rosin. 

1  pt. 

vinegar. 

2   qts. 

wood  alcohol. 

LIST  OF  DAIRY  APPARATUS  AND  SUPPLIES. 

Furnished  by  E.  P.  Terry,  Teacher  in  the  Ferndale  Union  High  School,  Ferndale, 

Humboldt  County,  California. 

The  work  is  carried  on  in  one  part  of  the  Chemical  Laboratory. 


3  17.5  cc.  acid  cylinders. 
10  caliphers   (dividers). 
5  Trowbridge  calibrators. 
1  lb.  of  mercury. 
3  Quevenne  lactometers. 
3  board  of  health  lactometers. 


1  gallon   1/10  normal  alkaline  solu- 


36  milk  test  bottles,  10%. 
24  cream  test  bottles,  30%. 
12  skim  milk  test  bottles. 
18   17.6  ce.  milk  pipettes. 

6  9  cc.  milk  pipettes. 

2  8-oz.  graduates. 
12  pint  milk  bottles,  lightening  tops. 

3  floating  dairy  thermometers,  8-in. 
Facilities  for  obtaining  hot  water. 

1  12-bottle  "De  Laval"  Babcock  milk  tester. 
1  8-bottle  "Facile"  Babcock  milk  tester. 

1  separator. 

2  Marshall  acid  test  outfits    (29  cc.  pipette 

tion  and  indicator  or  Phenolphthaleine.) 

5  300  cc.  aluminum  beakers  for  Patrick 's  moisture  test. 
1  Gray's  moisture  test   (more  accurate  than  Patrick's.) 

6  brushes  for  test  bottles. 
1   1-gallon  milk  can. 

1  milk  thief. 

5  lbs.  dairyman's  cleaner  (washing  powder). 

4  gallons  sulphuric  acid  for  testing. 

5  copper  cups  for  pouring  water  into  milk  bottles. 

1  package  of  preservative  (bichromate  of  potash  or  corrosive  sublimate). 

The  above  apparatus  is  sufficient  for  10  pupils.  Scales  used  by 
chemistry  class  are  also  suitable  cream  scales.  With  the  addition  of  a 
churn  the  list  is  complete  enough  for  a  high  school  course.  The  total 
cost  of  apparatus  exclusively  of  stove  for  heating  water  and  scales 

is  $150. 


49 

For  a  few  demonstrations  in  dairy  bacteriology  the  following  ap- 
paratus is  used : 
12  petri  dishes,   50  mm.  2  volumetric  pipettes,  100  cc. 

6  Erlenmeyer  flasks,  500  cc.  1  doz.  culture  media  tubes. 

12  volumetric  pipettes,  1  cc.  Total  cost.   $5.00. 

For  demonstrating  the  tuberculin  test  we  follow  bulletin  199,  Cali- 
fornia Station.     Outfit,  including  ten  doses  of  tuberculin,  costs  $5.50. 

LIST    OF    DAIRY    SUPPLIES    FOR    HIGH    SCHOOL    COURSE. 

Furnished   by   W.    G.    Hummel,    Head   Department    of   Agriculture,    Fresno    High 

School. 

(These  supplies  are  ample  for  a  class  of  ten.  The  list  includes  all 
supplies  ordered  this  year  for  the  dairy  work  at  the  Fresno  High 
School.  Some  items  were  ordered  in  larger  sizes  or  quantities  than 
were  necessary  for  the  work  this  year,  but  when  this  is  the  case  it 
was  because  for  some  reason  the  desired  size  or  quantity  could  not 
be  secured.  The  supplies  named  were  made  to  suffice,  this  year,  for 
a  class  of  twenty-four  students,  divided  into  two  sections). 

1  100-gallon  round  bottom  wash  sink $  25.00 

1  No.  0  dairy  barrel  churn 8.00 

4  16-quart  heavy  dairy  pails 5.00 

3  5-gallon  climax  milk  cans \..         5.90 

1  up-to-date  butter  printer,  for  one-pound  prints 4.50 

3  butter  ladles  .75 

|  dozen  small  ideal  bottle  brushes ,         1.75 

3  dozen  6J-inch  50%  cream  test  bottles] 

3  dozen  6|-inch  10%  milk  test  bottles      I 22.50 

1  dozen  skim  milk  test  bottles 

1  dozen   17.5   acid   measures 1.50 

1   dozen   17.6   pipettes 2.00 

5  gallons  testing  acid,  in  demijohn  6.75 

1  combined  test  water  heater  and  combined  filler  without  lamp 1.85 

2  dozen  pint   t.  t.   sample  jars   1.90 

1  dozen  1-quart  c.  s.   milk  bottles   : 1.00 

\  dozen  half -pint  t.  t.  sample-  jars  .45 

2  dozen  numbered  bottle  tags 1.20 

1  Ideal   milk   sampler .25 

1  automatic   acid   meter,    complete    5.00 

1  Farrington  alkaline  testing  outfit,  with  100  tablets  1.00 

1  dozen  0  to  100  cc.  graduated  cylinders  9.00 

2  churn    thermometers    1.00 

1  official    thermometer .50 

1  set  of  Eureka  adjustable  stencils,  1-inch  letters,  etc.  1.15 

1  galvanized  butter  salting  scale   10.00 

1  12-bottle  Troemner  test  bottle  scale  12.00 

1  milk  scale    (automatic,   30-pound)    5.00 

1  Starrett    speed    indicator    1.00 


50 

1  No.   2  lever  butter  worker  7.50 

500  9x12  parchment  wrappers,  plain   > .45 

1  Ames  moisture  test   6.00 

1  salt    test    5.00 

2  Quevenne    lactometers    4.00 

1  12-oz.    graduate    .60 

1  4-oz.    graduate    .35 

500  corrosive  sublimate  tablets  1.75 

1  dozen  receiving   sheets   .75 

1  ten-gallon    can    strainer 1.25 

1  14-inch   iron   mop    .75 

3  butter   bowls    9.00 

1  Babcock   tester    (6-bottle),   about    10.00 

$184.35 
Less  ten  per  cent  discount  18.43 

$165.92 

1  refrigerator 42.50 

1  40-gallon  electric  weld  boiler  and  heater  combined,  installed 55.00 

Total    $263.42 

In  addition  to  the  above  three  cream  separators  were  donated  for 
onr  use.  The  white  duck  coats  and  aprons  were  purchased  by  indi- 
vidual members  of  the  class.  [A  12-bottle  Babcock  tester  would  be 
more  satisfactory  for  a  class  of  this  size.    E.  B.  B.l 


SYNOPSIS  OF  BILL  No.  568,  A.,  LAWS  OF  1911,  STATE  OF  WISCONSIN.* 

Section  1.  Any  board  having  charge  of  a  free  high  school  or  a  high  school 
having  a  course  of  study  equivalent  (thereto)  .  .  .  may  establish  and  main- 
tain ...  a  department  of  manual  training,  or  domestic  economy,  or  agriculture, 
or  any  or  all  of  said  departments.  .  .  .  Any  school  whose  course  of  study  or 
outline  of  work  in  manual  training,  domestic  economy,  or  agriculture,  has  been 
approved  by  the  state  superintendent,  and  whose  teacher  has  been  qualified 
may,  upon  application,  be  placed  upon  an  approved  list  of  schools  .  .  .  (and 
be  entitled  to  state  aid  equal  to  .  .  .  one-half  the  amount  actually  expended 
for  instruction,  .  .  .  not,  however,  to  exceed  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
for  each  department  established  under  this  act  which  shall  have  been  main- 
tained in  connection  with  the  high  school  and  the  three  upper  grades  next 
below  the  high  school,  but  not  to  exceed  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for 
each  department  established  under  this  act,  which  shall  have  been  connected 
with  only  the  high  school. 


From  Bull.  441,  University  of  Wisconsin,  by  K.  L.  Hatch. 


51 


APPENDIX   B. 

RECOMMENDED  LIST  OF  BOOKS  FOR  THE   HIGH   SCHOOL 
AGRICULTURAL   LIBRARY. 


Abrams,  Le  Roy. 
Atkinson. 
Bailev,  L.  II. 


Barto,  D.  O. 

Bashore. 
Bergen,  J.  Y. 
Bricker,   G. 
Brewer. 
Brooks. 

Brigham,  A.  A. 
Brown,   E. 
Card,   F.   W. 

Coburn,  F.  D. 

Comstock,  J.  H.  and  A. 

Conn,  H.  W. 


Craig,   J.   A. 
Dadant. 
Darwin,   0.    R. 
Davenport,  E. 


Flora  of  Los  Angeles  and  Vicinity. 

Fundamentals  of  Botany. 

Cyclopedia  of  American  Agriculture,  4v. 

Botany. 

Evolution  of  Our  Native  Fruits. 

Horticulturist's  Rule  Book. 

Manual  of  Gardening. 

Nursery  Book. 

Plant  Breeding. 

Principles  of  Agriculture. 

Principles  of  Fruit  Growing. 

Principles  of  Vegetable  Gardening. 

Pruning  Book. 

Manual  of  Agriculture;  Soils  and  Crops. 

Secondary  School  Agriculture. 

Sanitation  of  the  Country  Home. 

The  Foundations  of  Botany. 

Teaching  of  Agriculture  in  the  High  School. 

Rural  Hygiene. 

Manures,  Fertilizers,  and  Farm  Crops. 

Soils  and  How  to  Treat  Them. 

Progressive  Poultry  Culture. 

Races  of  Domestic  Poultry. 

Bush  Fruits. 

Farm  Management. 

Alfalfa. 

Swine  in  America. 

B.     Manual  for  the  Study  of  Insects. 

Insect  Life. 

Agricultural  Bacteriology.     Second  Edition. 

Bacteria,  Yeasts,  and  Moulds  in  the  Home. 

Practical  Dairy  Bacteriology. 

Judging  Live  Stock. 

Landsstroth  on  the  Honey  Bee. 

Variation  of  Plants  and  Animals  Under  Domestication. 

Education  for  Efficiency. 

Domesticated  Plants  and  Animals. 

Principles  of  Breeding. 


52 


Davidson    and    Chase. 

Day,  G.  E. 

Dnggar,  B.  M. 

Edgar. 

Elliot. 

Fairchild. 

Farrington    and    Woll. 

Fiske,  George  B. 

French. 

Gifford,  John. 

Goodrich,  C.  L. 

Gray,  .Asa. 

Halligan,  J.  E. 

Halstead,  B.  D. 

Hemenway. 

Henry,  W.  A. 

Hilgard. 

Hilgard  and  Osterhout. 

Hodge,  C.  F. 

Hopkins,  C.  G. 

Hume,  H.  H. 

Hunt,  T.  F. 

Hunter,  G.  W. 
Jackson  and  Daugherty, 
Jepson,  W.  L. 
Jordan,  W.  H. 
Kellaway,  H.  J. 
King,  F.  F. 


Lassar-Cohn. 
Lipman,  J.  G. 
Lodeman,  E.  G. 
Lyon  and  Fippin. 
McLaren,  John. 
Maynard,  S.  T. 
Mayo. 

Michels,  J. 

Morrow. 

Osterhout,  W.  J.  V. 

Paddock  and   Whipple. 

Percival. 

Plumb,  C.  S. 

Roberts,  I.  P. 


Farm  Machinery. 

Swine. 

Fungous  Diseases  of  Plants. 

Story  of  a  Grain  of  Wheat. 

Farm  Drainage. 

Rural  Wealth  and  Welfare. 

Testing  Milk  and  Its  Products. 

Poultry  Appliances  and  Handicraft. 

Poultry  Architecture. 

Book  of  Vegetables. 

Practical  Forestry. 

First  Book  of  Farming. 

Field,  Forest  and  Garden  Botany. 

Fundamentals  of  Agriculture. 

Barn  Plans  and  Outbuildings. 

How  to  Make  School  Gardens. 

Feeds  and  Feeding. 

Soils. 

Agriculture  for  Schools  of  the  Pacific  Slope. 

Nature  Study  and  Life. 

Soil  Fertility  and  Permanent  Agriculture. 

Citrus  Fruits  and  Their  Culture. 

Cereals  in  America. 

Forage  and  Fibre  Crops  in  America. 

Essentials  of  Biology. 

Agriculture  through  the  laboratory  and  school  garden. 
Flora  of  Western  Middle  California.     Second  Edition. 
Feeding  of  Animals. 

How  to  Lay  Out  Suburban  Home  Grounds. 
Physics  of  Agriculture. 
The  Soil. 

Irrigation  and  Drainage. 
Chemistry  of  Common  Life. 
Bacteria  in  Relation  to  Country  Life. 
Spraying  Plants. 
Soils. 

Gardening  in  California. 
Successful  Fruit  Culture. 
Care  of  Farm  Animals. 
Diseases  of  Animals. 
Dairy  Farming. 
Soils  and  Crops  of  the  Farm. 
Experiments  With  Plants. 
Fruit  Growing  in  the  Arid  Regions. 
Agricultural  Botany. 
Types  and  Breeds  of  Farm  Animals. 
Fertility  of  the  Land. 
The  Horse. 
The  Farmer's  Business  Handbook. 


53 


Robison,  C.  H. 

Roth,  F.  R. 

Russel   and  Hastings. 
Sanderson,  E.  D. 
Sargent,  F.  L. 
Smith,  H.  R. 
Smythe,  W.   E. 
Snyder,  H.  S. 

Stevenson   and   Schaub. 

Spill  man. 

Strassberger,  E.,  and  H 

Taft,  L.   R. 

Taylor. 

Valentine,  C.  S. 

Van  Norman,  H.  E. 

Van  Slyke. 

Voorhees,  E.  B. 

Warren,   G.    F. 

Warington. 
Watson,  G.  C. 
Waugh,  F.  A. 


Weed,  C.  M. 
Weed  and  Emerson. 
Wheelock,  I.  G. 
Whitman,  H.  J. 
Wickson,  E.  J. 

Wilkinson,  J.  W. 
Wing,  H.  H. 
Wing,  J.  E. 
Wing,  J.  E. 


Agricultural  Instruction  in  the  Public  High  Schools  of 
the  United  States.   (Columbia  University  Press,  N.Y.) 

First  Book  of  Forestry. 

Experimental  Dairy  Bacteriology. 

Insects  Injurious  to  Staple  Crops. 

Corn  Plants. 

Profitable  Stock  Feeding. 

The  Conquest  of  Arid  America. 

Chemistry  of  Plant  and  Animal  Life. 

Soils  and  Fertilizers, 

Soil  Physics  Laboratory  Guide. 

Farm  Grasses, 
illhouse,  W.     Handbook  of  Practical  Botany. 

Greenhouse  Management. 

Agricultural   Economics. 

How  to  Keep  Hens  for  Profit. 

First  Lessons  in  Dairying. 

Testing  Milk. 

Fertilizers. 

Elements  of  Agriculture. 

Laboratory  Exercises  in  Farm  Management. 

Physical  Properties  of  the  Soil. 

Farm  Poultry. 

Fruit  Harvesting,  Storing  and  Marketing. 

Landscape   Gardening. 

Plums  and  Plum  Culture. 

Systematic  Pomology. 

Farm  Friends  and  Farm  Foes. 

School  Garden  Book. 

Birds  of  California. 

The  Feeding  of  Animals. 

California  Fruits  and  How  to  Grow  Them. 

California  Vegetables. 

Practical  Agriculture. 

Milk  and  Its  Products. 

Sheep  Farming  in  America. 

Farm  Buildings. 

Year  Book  United   States  Department   of   Agriculture, 
1906  to  the  Present. 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE   FOR  DISTRIBUTION. 


1902. 
1903. 
1904. 


REPORTS. 

Report  of  the  Viticultural  Work  during  the  seasons  1887-93,  with  data  regarding  the 

Vintages  of   1894-95. 
Resistant  Vines,   their  Selection,  Adaptation,   and  Grafting.      Appendix  to  Viticultural 

Report  for  1896. 
Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for   1898-1901. 
Report  of  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station  for  1901-03. 
Twenty-second  Report  of  the  Agricultural   Experiment   Station  for   1903-04. 


BULLETINS. 


Reprint.   Endurance  of  Drought  in   Soils  of 

the   Arid   Region. 
No.  128.   Nature,    Value,    and   Utilization   of 
Alkali  Lands,  and  Tolerance  of 
Alkali.      (Revised   and  Reprint, 
1905.) 

133.  Tolerance    of    Alkali    by    Various 
Cultures. 

147.   Culture  Work  of  the  Sub-stations. 

149.   California   Sugar  Industry. 

151.   Arsenical  Insecticides. 

153.    Spraying  with  Distillates. 

159.   Contribution  to  the   Study  of  Fer- 
mentation. 

162.   Commercial   Fertilizers.       (Dec.    1, 
1904.) 

165.   Asparagus    and    Asparagus    Rust 
in   California. 

167.  Manufacture    of     Dry    Wines    in 

Hot   Countries. 

168.  Observations    on    Some   Vine    Dis- 

eases in   Sonoma   County. 

169.  Tolerance   of   the    Sugar    Beet   for 

Alkali. 

170.  Studies    in    Grasshopper    Control. 

171.  Commercial  Fertilizers.     (June  30, 

1905.) 

172.  Further   Experience  in   Asparagus 

Rust  Control. 
174.   A    New   Wine-cooling   Machine. 

176.  Sugar   Beets   in   the   San   Joaquin 

Valley. 

177.  A    New    Method    of     Making    Dry 

Red  Wine. 

178.  Mosquito  Control. 

179.  Commercial     Fertilizers.         (June, 

1906.) 

180.  Resistant  Vineyards. 

181.  The  Selection  of  Seed-Wheat. 

182.  Analysis  of  Paris  Green  and  Lead 

Arsenic.       Proposed     Insecticide 
Law. 

183.  The  California  Tussock-moth. 

184.  Report    of    the    Plant    Pathologist 

to  July   1,    1906. 

185.  Report     of      Progress     in     Cereal 

Investigations. 


No.  186. 

187. 

188. 

189. 

190. 
191. 
192. 

193. 

194. 

195. 
197. 


198. 

199. 
200. 

201. 

202. 

203. 

204. 

205. 

206. 

207. 

208. 

,209. 

210. 

211. 

212. 
213. 


The   Oidium   of   the   Vine. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (January, 
1907.) 

Lining  of  Ditches  and  Reservoirs 
to  Prevent  Seepage  and  Losses. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1907.) 

The   Brown  Rot  of  the  Lemon. 

California  Peach  Blight. 

Insects  Injurious  to  the  Vine  in 
California. 

The  Best  Wine  Grapes  for  Cali- 
fornia; Pruning  Young  Vines; 
Pruning  the  Sultanina. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Dec, 
1907.) 

The   California   Grape   Root-worm. 

Grape  Culture  in  California ; 
Improved  Methods  of  Wine- 
making;  Yeast  from  California 
Grapes. 

The  Grape  Leaf-Hopper. 

Bovine  Tuberculosis. 

Gum  Diseases  of  Citrus  Trees  in 
California. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1908.) 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Decem- 
ber,  1908.) 

Report  of  the  Plant  Pathologist  to 
July  1,   1909. 

The  Dairy  Cow's  Record  and  the 
Stable. 

Commercial  Fertilizers.  (Decem- 
ber,  1909.) 

Commerical  Fertilizers.  (June, 
1910.) 

The  Control  of  the  Argentine  Ant. 

The  Late  Blight  of  Celery. 

The  Cream  Supply. 

Imperial     Valley      Settlers'      Crop 

Manual. 
How    to    Increase    the    Yield    of 
Wheat    in    California. 

California  White  Wheats. 

The    Principles    of    Wine-making. 


CIRCULARS. 


No.     1.  Texas  Fever. 

5.   Contagious  Abortion    in   Cows. 
7.   Remedies  for   Insects. 
9.   Asparagus  Rust. 

11.  Fumigation   Practice. 

12.  Silk  Culture. 

15.   Recent     Problems     in*    Agriculture. 
What  a  University  Farm  is  For. 
19.   Disinfection   of    Stables. 

29.  Preliminary      Announcement      Con- 

cerning  Instruction    in    Practical 
•    Agriculture   upon   the   University 
Farm,   Davisville,   Cal. 

30.  White   Fly   in  California. 

32.  White  Fly  Eradication. 

33.  Packing    Prunes    in    Cans.       Cane 

Sugar  vs.   Beet   Sugar. 

36.  Analyses  of  Fertilizers  for  Con- 
sumers. 

39.  Instruction  in  Practical  Agricul- 
ture at  the  University  Farm. 

46.  Suggestions    for    Garden    Work    in 

California   Schools. 

47.  Agriculture  in  the  High  Schools. 


No.  48.   Butter   Scoring   Contest,    1909. 

50.  Fumigating   Scheduling. 

51.  University  Farm   School. 

53.  Announcement    of    Farmers'    Short 

Courses  for  1910. 

54.  Some      Creamery      Problems      and 

Tests. 

55.  Farmers'   Institutes  and  University 

Extension   in   Agriculture. 
58.   Experiments  with  Plants  and  Soils 
in      Laboratory,      Garden,      and 
Field. 


5  9. 


the       Public 


Tree      Growing 
Schools. 

60.  Butter   Scoring  Contest,    1910. 

61.  University    Farm    School. 

62.  The    School    Garden    in    the    Course 

of    Study. 

63.  How  to  Make   an   Observation   Bee 

Hive. 

64.  Announcement    of    Farmers'     Short 

Courses   for    1911. 
The    California    Insecticide    Law. 
Insecticides   and   Insect  Control. 


65. 
66. 


